Her Mask
by Kagome-Inu5
Summary: Duncan watches her hide behind that mask. Watches how it manages to devoid any emotion except anger from her mocha colored face. It's that mask that he's determined to strip from her completely. Emotion by emotion. -DxC
1. Fear

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

It's an early Sunday morning on the Island. Luckily for the Campers, it's of those challenge free days, where they get a rare bit of down-time to just relax and be left to their own devices.

A few of the Killer Bass members were sitting upon the porch steps outside their cabin, chatting about the latest elimination and how brutal the challenge was.

"I bet Tyler is gonna need therapy from that long boat ride with all those chickens." Duncan said with a laugh, twirling his pocket knife in his fingers.

DJ slid a bit farther away from his knife wielding friend and smiled. "I feel bad for the dude. Chris just loves messing with us."

Geoff let out a mumble of agreement from his spot across from the other two Bass males. His cow bow hat draped over his eyes, and his back leaning against the rickety wooden railing.

"Yo, Geoff, how _did_ you manage to defeat that hail cloud that was pelting you yesterday, anyways?" DJ asked.

Geoff slid his hat up back into place and shrugged. "I stole the remote from Chris."

Duncan chuckled. "How did you manage _that?"_

The party-boy was about to respond, but was interrupted by Chef, who gave a loud holler about lunch being ready. So the Campers all made their way to the dining hall- most being shoved carelessly out of the way by Owen, who was determined to be first in line for the rarely edible food the cook served up- while the others took their seats at their respective tables.

"So Court, how you feeling about the whole challenge yesterday?" Bridgette asked from the end of the table, staring across from her at the brunette in question.

She simply shrugged. "I'm disappointed that we didn't win. But it's nothing to worry over."

"Uh, hello, we _could _of won if you hadn't backed out. Gosh!" Harold quipped.

Courtney crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly, while glaring at the ginger haired nerd. "I could have _died!_"

Duncan rolled his eyes and snorted, causing the former CIT to turn her glare on Duncan.

"What?"

"You're such a Drama Queen."

"_Excuse me?_"

"Just admit it; you were too afraid to do it." The delinquent leaned forward to rest his cheek against the palm of his hand and stare at the girl. He was going to get her to admit she was afraid. He was gonna show her she didn't have to put up a damn act all the time. He was gonna get her to show some emotion other than the anger that painted her features on a regular basis. He did love challenges, after all. And this was definitely going to be a challenge.

"I was _not _afraid." The mowhawk wearing teenager had to hold back a smirk. She was only making this more fun for him.

"It's like, okay to be afraid, you know." Sadie spoke up.

"I am not afraid!" Courtney insisted stubbornly.

A plan formed in Duncan's head at that moment. A devious, _brilliant_, and cunning plan.

He couldn't execute it at that moment unfortunately, though. He was gonna need a little more time to prepare. But come night fall, he'd have successfully chipped away one layer from her mask. Or so he hoped.

* * *

Duncan moved stealthily outside, ducking behind trees and bushes in a very ninja-like way to make sure no one spotted him. He didn't want anyone to question him as to why he was currently making his way over to the large tub of green jelly, that was still situated on the grass from the day before.

Moving swiftly -with eyes still darting about nervously- he scooped up a bowl full of the green, snotty looking stuff, and made his way quickly back to his vacant cabin. He covered the bowl in plastic rap- both of which he had skillfully managed to swipe from the kitchen by the way- so the jiggly stuff wouldn't leak out, and peered out the cabin window.

Lady luck was with him. He could see Courtney still sitting in the dining area, picking at the food in front of her while seeming deep in thought. Now was his time to strike.

With a wide grin, the male teenager exited his cabin and went back into the dining hall.

"Hey, Princess!"

Courtney groaned at Duncan's loud arrival and gave him a sharp look.

"What do _you _want?"

"I'm hurt, Princess. You're not happy to see me?" He feigned looking hurt, while holding one hand behind his back.

"No. I'm not. And stop calling me tha- what's that?" Her eyes widened as Duncan set down his bowl onto the table.

"What? Oh this? Just some Jelly... want some?" He asked innocently, beginning to peel off the plastic rap.

"No. Get that gross stuff away from me." She scooted farther away from him and the bowl but Duncan scooted closer. Soon, she was perched on the end of the bench with Duncan close enough that their arms were brushing against each other.

"Duncan. I'm warning you- ah!" She tumbled onto the floor, having scooted right off the edge of the wooden seat.

Duncan chuckled and jumped on top of her, pinning her to the floor- without totally crushing her, mind you- and holding both of her hands above her head with one of his own. The other hand held the bowl of Jelly over top of her.

"Don't. You. _Dare._" She snarled, though he was beginning to see the emotionless facade starting to crack.

She squirmed and struggled underneath him, but he didn't budge. If only she could just get her knee up, she could hit him in the groin.

"Admit you're afraid."

"I admit that you're even more twisted then I first assumed!" Duncan chuckled and shook the bowl lightly, and watched as Courtney's eyes widened as the Jelly shook with it.

"You wouldn't."

"Ah, but I would, Sweetheart." Duncan flashed her a smirk.

"Why are you doing all this?" Courtney hated this. She felt like Kim Possible; being captured by her arch foe, then questioning him as to why he was trying to take over the world.

Worst of all, she felt helpless and trapped. And that aggravated her to no end.

"So I can start to break down every wall that you've ever built up around yourself." And without another word, Duncan flipped the bowl over and let the content spill out onto Courtney's face.

He jumped off her quickly as she began to trash and shriek in terror. Sure, Duncan felt a tad guilty. But he _had _manged to crack that emotionless mask of hers; no matter how small the crack. He took pleasure in that, though he vowed that _only_ he was _ever_ allowed to cause that look of anxiety and dismay on that was on her face, which was currently coated in green Jell-o that she was trying to rub off.

He had managed to bring down the facade, if only for a while. Duncan had successfully made her feel fear.

* * *

**AN: Did that feel extremely out of character or what? :P It isn't as good this time. I wrote this story out once already but it didn't save when I clicked the button. T_T So I had to start all over. And I'm planning on doing other emotions, but for some reason fear came to me first. Review!**


	2. Lust

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

Another challenge free day, another opportunity for Duncan to knock away at Courtney.

That was his first gleeful thought as the skull shirted male hopped off his bunk that morning. The thought excited him. Yet he was still on cloud nine after his successful, -if not slightly cruel- way of getting a spark of emotion out of the CIT.

Duncan pulled his pants up over his boxers and started slipping on his converse quietly. Satisfied that he hadn't awoken the other members of the bass cabin, he slipped outside.

It was another sunny day, but all Duncan could think was how hot the weather had become lately. Walking slowly over to sit under a tree in that bared some shade, he sighed. It had to only be around 8 AM, but the sun was already blazing.

_Scorching. Heat. Inferno. Lust. Passion. Desire._

Duncan chuckled. That wouldn't be much of a challenge, but the juvenile delinquent wouldn't deny that he'd _love_ to hear a certain uptight Princess moan his name at least once.

But how in the world was he going to manage to do that without millions of camera's watching? He wanted to break down Princess' walls of defense, but not to the entire viewing world.

Another hurtle he had to overcome was getting the girl alone in the first place. He was aware that there was no camera's inside the bathroom, though the mocha skinned teenager was no doubt completely distraught over the green haired boy's shenanigans the night before. But if it came down to it, he could easily come up with a plan to get the object of his twisted affections inside. It also happened to be making sure no one _else_ was in the communal bathroom at the time that posed yet another threat. Maybe this wouldn't be as easy as he first thought.

* * *

"Duncan, dude. Come on."

The aforementioned male groaned as he felt something poke into his ribs.

"Wake up."

"Ugh...wha?" The first thing Duncan was met with when his eyes finally fluttered open, was Geoff leaning over him, a stick in his hands, poking him in the ribs.

"Quit it, I'm up." Duncan shifted upward, feeling stiff and annoyed.

Geoff laughed. "Might wanna go wash your face, man. You must of fell over while you were asleep." Duncan brushed his fingers across his left cheek, and sure enough, brown smudges coated his hand.

Suddenly, Duncan jumped up, grinning. "That's it!"

"Uh...what?" The blond raised an eyebrow at his friend's random outburst.

"Nothing. Thanks for waking me. Later!" Duncan waved a quick hand at a very confused Geoff, and took off running toward the Dining hall.

* * *

Getting Courtney dirty. That would be the easiest way of getting her to take a shower and put his plan into action.

It _sounded_ so easy, and in fact, it wasn't. Courtney was a very clean person; not a speck of dirt on her clothes, and Duncan wasn't about to just throw some dirt on her. He had already dumped Jelly on her last night, and he wasn't a fan of repetition.

But with a little more planning, and some help from Geoff and DJ- who were all for helping Duncan with his plan, which surprised him a bit- he was set.

"So you want us to do...what?" DJ asked, filling a balloon with that morning's gruel-like breakfast.

"Deej, Geoff is gonna chase you around with the balloon, and I want you to run right in front of Princess." Duncan pointed to where Bridgette and Courtney were sun bathing down by the beach. "Then as soon as you're in front of her, Geoff, throw the balloon-"

"And I duck?" DJ questioned.

"Exactly."

The cow bow hat wearing male chuckled. "Brilliant."

"Would you expect anything less from me, dude?" Duncan extended his fist to Geoff who fist pumped him back.

* * *

"It was so awful Bridgette! There was Jelly everywhere!" Courtney shuddered, even though she was quite warm from the sunshine pouring down.

"I can't believe Duncan would do something like that. He knows you're totally terrified by it." Bridgette gave her friend a pat on the shoulder.

"I am _not _terrif-" The blond gave the brunette a knowing look.

"Okay, Okay, I am." Courtney admitted.

"So-" Bridgette began but was cut off by loud laughing. Both girls turned to look at DJ running toward them with Geoff hot on his tail.

"Guys? What are you _doing_?" Was what Bridgette was about to ask, but stopped as she saw the balloon leave Geoff's hand and fly toward DJ. He ducked, and _SPLAT._

"AH! Ew, gross! What was in that!?" Courtney shrieked, staring at the grey mush that was splattered all over what used to be her shirt.

They boys laughed. "This morning's breakfast." Geoff replied, and got a frown from Bridgette.

"Sorry Courtney. You should probably go wash up." DJ gave her a fake -yet still very convincing- smile and she sighed in return.

"Well I guess I gotta go have a shower. See you later, Bridge." Courtney walked off to her cabin to collect her things and Bridgette glared at the two boys.

"Okay, you guys. You have 2 minutes to tell me what's going on."

* * *

Finishing up her shower, Courtney stepped out of the stall and covered herself with a short purple towel.

"They're so juvenile. Even Duncan would know better than to go around throwing gruel balloons at each other."

"You're so right. I'd rather have something like motor oil in my balloons." Courtney gasped in surprise as she saw Duncan leaning up against the wall next to the door.

"Get out!" She shouted and was even more surprised when he was suddenly in front of her, making her take a step back so her back was against the wall.

"Aw come on, Princess. With that expression you'd think I was planning to murder you." He scoffed at the thought.

"Well I rather not be covered in Jelly again!" She shuddered for the second time that day. Something about him was just making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Maybe it was just the cold. Yeah... that was it, exactly. She clutched her towel tighter around herself.

"If you hadn't noticed, Honey, I don't have any jelly with me." Duncan held up his hands.

"Would you stop with these ridiculous pet names!?" Courtney narrowed her eyes warningly at him. He had her cornered, but she was perfectly capable of throwing a kick if necessary.

"Sure, sure, Princess. Whatever floats your boat." She stood her ground as he got even closer. Just one more step...

Courtney lifted her foot up to kick him, but what surprised her was how Duncan caught her ankle before her foot could make contact.

"You're so predictable, Babe." He chuckled and released her foot. She scowled at him.

"I'm not gonna be some pawn in your stupid game, Duncan. So just get out and go torture someone else."

"Oh I plan to."

"Dunc-" Her voice left her as he took the final step and pressed his lips to her exposed collar bone. Courtney clenched her teeth together. What was _with _him? First he scares her to death one night, and then he teases her like this, the next?

"I swear to freaking god, Duncan. If you don't back away from me in the next 5 seconds I'm going to-" She was cut off once again, by a moan escaping her lips. "Duncan..."

And just like that, he was gone.

Courtney turned quickly to look at herself in the mirror. There, on her collarbone, was a bright red hickey. Though that wasn't the only thing that was red, her cheeks were bright too. Bright with anger and undeniable lust.

"**DUNCAN! YOU ARE SO DEAD!**"

* * *

Duncan chuckled from his bunk bed upon hearing her threat that seemed to echo across the whole island. All of the fuss today was so worth that one moment when she'd moaned his name. He knew he could of continued and wouldn't of gotten a single complaint from her. Until morning came of course, and the feeling wore off.

Lust. That was an emotion he'd love to see on Courtney's face again.

But she didn't wanna be his pawn? Too damn bad. Until he ripped away that mask from her, she would be his toy.


	3. Guilt Part 1

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

Courtney was beyond livid. She couldn't sleep, she was just too angry, not to mention completely soaked and dirty.

Duncan had tricked her, manipulated her, and made her feel _guilty, _all in the same dreadful day. Guilt, was _not _an emotion that ever crossed Courtney's mind. She never did anything wrong, so why feel guilty? But Duncan just _had_ to go and spoil that guilt-free lifestyle she had going...

How, you ask? Well... it all started yesterday afternoon.

* * *

"I am so gonna get Duncan. I'm gonna grab hold of him and-" Bridgette had blocked out Courtney's ranting and endless pacing about 5 minutes in. She loved Courtney, really, she did. But one could only listen to her talk about all the many ways to kill a person with a fork, for so long. The other Bass members were out and about, doing whatever it is they do on the challenge free days. Bridgette was perched on one of the lower bunks while watching Courtney walk quickly back and forth, throwing her arms up in the air in frustration every once in a while.

"Court, maybe-"

"And then I'm gonna rip off his arm-"

"Courtney, I think-"

"Then take the fork and-"

Bridgette sighed, tuning out Courtney once again. She'd tried interrupting her 20 times now, but the CIT just wouldn't stop talking. It would take a miracle to shut her up.

A second later, a water balloon flew threw the open window and splattered over Courtney, silencing her completely.

_A miracle, or a water balloon._ Bridgette thought, with a small grin that plastered it's self to her face.

"Ugh! Not again!" Courtney growled. Bridgette almost certain she saw the water dissipating from her friend's skin at how fired up Courtney was becoming.

"It's just water, Courtney. It's okay. I'll go grab you a towel." Bridgette smiled a bit at the girl who nodded as the blond left.

"I bet you were hoping it _was _another gruel balloon." Duncan's voice startled Courtney as she whipped around to face the Punk boy who was leaning in through the window.

"Why would I ever wanna go through _that_ again?" She snarled out, while wishing she had a fork handy.

"Cause you loved me kissing you. And if you put that little towel on again then maybe-" Courtney had shoved the window closed before he could finish, and took much satisfaction in the fact she'd managed to squish his thumb in the window, which caused him to yell out in pain.

"Stop getting balloons thrown at me, you cretin!" Courtney yelled out and exited the cabin to get a little fresh air, and then go back inside to change into some dry clothes. Leaving Duncan to still squirm in pain over his crushed finger which was still stuck in the locked window. He'd manage to get it out some how. And maybe his thumb would only suffer minimal damage! God, that would _suck.

* * *

_

"Ow! Ow! Dammit!" Duncan growled, trying to tug his finger free from the window. He looked like an idiot, and his thumb was hurting like hell. He quickly went through the pros and cons of his 'Yelling for help' idea.

_Pro: He'd get his finger removed from the window like he wanted, and be able to check out the damage.  
_

_Con: He'd look like a total wimp yelling out, "Help me! Help me!"_

_Pro: He could start planning a way to get back at Courtney for this, and have fun with her at the same time._

Duncan clenched his teeth together. Enough of this pros and cons crap. If he didn't get his finger removed from this window pretty soon, he was just gonna saw it off with his pocket knife and be done with it._  
_

_His knife!_

Reaching into his back pocket of his jeans, Duncan pulled out his knife and, thinking quickly- not exactly rationally- he jabbed it into the glass. It shattered, and he reached with his free arm and unlocked the lock. Tugging the window open, he took his very sore hand from the window and stared at his badly bruised thumb.

"Ah, well. It could be worse. Now, time to get this ball rolling."

* * *

Bridgette had been searching for a towel, but came up empty handed. So after 5 minutes of searching, she decided Courtney probably found one already, or just changed into some dry clothes.

Casting a look up at the sky which was darkening, she frowned. It looked like there was gonna be one hell of a storm tonight.

_Hopefully_ Duncan wasn't planning another stupid prank on Courtney tonight. Her friend was already on edge and angry enough as it was, Duncan didn't need to continue to fuel the raging fire.

"Her Malibu!"

_Speak of the devil._

"What do you want, Duncan?" Bridgette had just exited the Gopher cabin- she had been hoping one of them might have a towel to lend her. No such luck- as Duncan came up to her.

"Just wondering if you've seen my dog collar." He pointed to his unusually bare neck.

"Uh, no. I haven't. Whoa, what happened to your finger?"

Duncan chuckled. "Courtney happened."

Bridgette laughed, too. "Well that's what you get for being such a jerk. But I'll keep my eyes open for your collar, okay?"

"Sure, sure. Thanks Malibu." With a wave of his hand he started walking toward the Mess Hall for something to eat. Or so Bridgette guessed, anyway.

With a smile and a roll of her eyes, Bridgette went back into the Kill Bass' cabin and chuckled at the site before her.

Courtney's legs were sticking out from under the bed, flailing around as the brunette stretched farther underneath the bunk.

"Uh...Court?"

Smash. "Ow! What is it Bridgette?" She pulled her head out from under the bed after smacking it in surprise.

"I was just gonna ask what you were doing."

"I thought I saw something shiny under my bed..." Courtney scrunched up her face in concentration. What did she have that was shiny? She never wore any earrings or necklaces.

The blond leaned down to peek into the dark space under the bunk and reached her hand in. Feeling something sharp and metal, she grabbed it and tugged it out.

"Ugh. Of course. Even when he's not bugging me, he's _still _bugging me!" Courtney exclaimed in annoyance, glaring at the dog collar Bridgette now held in her hands.

"Well I'm gonna go give it back-"

"Wait, let's not be too hasty." The brunette said with a grim smile that gave the blond female the creeps.

"Courtney... before _you_ do anything hasty, just calm down and think this through. If you do whatever it is you're planning, you'll just be as childish as Duncan." Bridgette; the voice of reason.

"Normally, I'd agree with you. Two wrongs don't make a right. But this isn't even about wrongs anymore. They is war." Courtney snatched the collar from her friend's hands and marched out of the wooden cabin for the second time that late afternoon, causing Bridge to sigh.

"I hope that girl doesn't do anything stupid."

* * *

"So you really planted your dog collar there for her to find?" Geoff asked Duncan who was sprawled out on one of the benches in the mess hall.

"Yup. No doubt she's gonna do something crazy with it. At least, that's what I'm planning." Duncan replied with a smirk.

"But isn't that like, part of your identity? Do you really wanna give it up just to push Court's buttons?" DJ leaned forward on the table to stare at the collar-less male.

"Ah don't worry about that. It was just a spare. I got the original under my mattress."

"You keep a spare dog collar?" Geoff snorted.

"You keep a spare cow boy hat?" Duncan shot back.

"Touché."

The boys laughed.

"So wait, why'd you ask Bridge to keep an eye out for it then?" The party dude questioned after their laughter had died down.

"Just so she wouldn't get suspicious. She thinks I actually lost it, instead of putting it there on purpose." Duncan shrugged.

"Have I ever told you you're a mad genius?" DJ asked with a grin.

"No. But hey, I like the sound of that. 'Duncan; the mad genius_.'_ " The guys started to laugh again.

* * *

"Stupid Duncan. Stupid dog collar. Stupid rain!" Courtney shouted to the sky, that was leaking water down on the Island.

She had been marching through the forest, looking for the perfect spot to hide the belonging, but the rain had began coming down in buckets. Once again, ending up with her being soaked.

_**Maybe you should just give up.** _A little voice inside her head was telling her.

G_reat. _Courtney thought sourly. _I'm so pissed off, I'm becoming_ _schizo!_

Stopping under a tree for cover of the rain, the CIT sighed. This day was sucking majorly.

**_Go back to the cabin before you get hurt. _**The damn voice was almost starting to sound like Duncan, and that made her even angrier.

"I will _not_ go back to the cabin! I'm gonna go throw this thing in the lake!" Courtney mentally slapped herself. Talking to yourself was never a good thing. Especially when there could be cameras anywhere.

Stomping onward, the determined girl started walking through the very wet and muddy forest again.

* * *

"Well, Princess should of done something stupid with that collar by now. I'm gonna go put part two into action." Duncan said with a grin. He hopped off the wooden bench and gave a little wave to his fellow Bass members then set toward the door.

"Good luck, bro." Geoff gave his 'bro' a thumbs up.

"And be careful." DJ added.

"Sure. See ya."

Duncan was more than surprised as he felt the icy water dump down on him the moment he walked out of the Mess Hall.

"Burr. Should of brought a jacket." He shrugged to himself and started off toward the forest. That would be the most obvious place to hide his possession.

* * *

"Oh Princess! Come out, come out, where ever you are!" The green mow hawked boy yelled out. This was taking a bit too long. He should of found Courtney by now, and that worried him a little.

"Princess, come on! You can't hide from me forever." He walked a few more steps toward a steep muddy ledge and glanced over it, the blood rushed from his face and his blue eyes widened.

_Oh my god. **No.**_

"Courtney!"

* * *

**AN: Yes, I'm stopping it here. MWUAHAHA. But maybe if you nice people review, then I'll post the next part faster? Hmm? And what do you think happened to Courtney? XD ONLY TIME WILL TELL! And no, she's not dead. That would end the story! And I don't want that to happen. ^_^**


	4. Guilt Part 2

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

"Courtney! Courtney!" Duncan shouted again, panic coursing through his body. This couldn't be happening. Not to her. Not to Princess.

He got down on his hands and knees and leaned farther over the cliff side, squinting down and trying to really identify the blurry shape below. Should he go get help? Should he try and get her himself?

"Wow, you really _are_ gullible!"

Duncan spun around so fast he got whip lash. There, standing in all her pride and glory was Courtney.

"W-Wh-" Was all the Punk could get out.

And she actually had the _nerve_ to _laugh. _

_"_You should of seen your face! I throw a few pillows down there with some mud and brown leaves on it, and you think I died!" She laughed harder. But it wasn't the cheery, happy-go-lucky laugh Duncan had wanted to hear from her. It was too sinister and cold.

_"_Don't laugh." Duncan growled out, getting up off the ground.

"Oh come on, it was just a prank. You play your stupid pranks on me all the time." Courtney shrugged.

What surprised them both, was Duncan grabbing onto her shoulders -not tight enough to hurt- and staring her straight in the eyes, no hint of amusement in his face at her practical -or _impractical_ in this case- joke.

"Do you know how worried I was!? Don't you _dare _laugh! I thought you were really hurt!"

"I-I..." For once, Courtney was without something to say.

"Jeez." He let go of her shoulders and spun around to glare up at the sky, the rain finally coming to a halt.

"Look, Duncan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you so upset..." Did Courtney actually feel _guilty?_ Wow. There was first. Too bad Duncan could take no feeling of accomplishment for this emotion he'd gotten to shine through.

"Yeah, Yeah. Whatever, Courtney." He turned on his heel and brushed past her, on his way back to Camp. The brunette stood there a moment longer, staring down at her shoes.

"What have I done?"

* * *

"Dude. She did _not._" DJ shook his head.

"She did. And she actually laughed afterwards!" Duncan threw his hands up in the air in complete frustration while re-telling the events of the day.

"Wow, man, that's kinda heavy." Geoff rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, what? You're just never gonna speak to her again?" The guys jumped when they heard Bridgette's voice behind them, and spun around to face the surfer girl who was standing beside the open door of their cabin.

"I don't see why I should." Duncan ran a hand through his mow hawk with an anger twisted expression.

"Okay, so she screwed up. Big time. But come on, Duncan. If you hadn't started it with your stupid stunts then Courtney wouldn't of done this in the first place!" Bridgette took a seat on the wooden steps out front of the cabin, beside Geoff.

"Oh shut it, Malibu." He was in no mood to have her shoving logic and reason in his face. He just wanted to be angry. Let Princess come to him and beg for forgiveness.

"Dude, don't talk to Bridge like that. It's not her fault you pushed Courtney to this." Geoff stuck up for the blond girl next to him. Causing Bridgette to smile.

"I didn't push her to do anything!" Duncan shouted, raising from his spot." She should of been the bigger person! I expected her to just take it, or maybe wail on me a bit!"

_Not that she ever seems to do the things I expect her to. Full of surprises that girl is. _Duncan thought to himself, holding back a smile and attempting to stay angry.

"Aw, dude. Admit it. You're putty in her hands." DJ poked Duncan in the stomach and he smacked the hand away.

"I am not."

The smiles he got from his friends said they didn't believe him in the slightest.

"Anyway, we aren't talking about that. Courtney just... crossed a line." Duncan sighed and sat back down on the step, slumping forward.

* * *

Courtney sat on the end of the Dock Of Shame- How fitting- and staring out at the sky which was gradually turning dark with the coming night fall.

"I've never seen him so angry. Bridgette was right... I shouldn't of dropped to his level!" Courtney didn't realize she was crying till she tasted the salty flavour of a tear as it slid down onto her lips.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen, hm?"

Courtney glared at the person who was now standing beside her.

"Leave me alone, Heather." The Princess turned her face away from the cruel teenager.

"Aw. You're just upset because Duncan used to fallow you around like a little love sick puppy, and now wants nothing to do with you." The raven-haired girl smirked.

Courtney clenched her hands into fists. _If she says one more word..._

"Besides, it's not like he wanted anything more from you than to just get in your pants."

Courtney blinked away her tears and jumped up, shoved the Queen Bee into the filthy lake, then stormed off the dock. Her former sadness was replaced by a vast amount of anger.

* * *

"And then my buddy and I-" Geoff was cut off from his story telling as the 4 Killer Bass members spotted a certain brunette girl walk up to the steps where the others were sitting and stop.

"Courtney..." Bridgette rose up, seeing the tear stains on her friend's cheeks.

"Could you guys move, please? I wanna get into the cabin." Courtney's voice was angry and tight. Like she was gonna start screaming or punching people any second.

They all slid out of the way without hesitation, and none of the teens failed to notice Courtney taking a side glance at Duncan before shutting the cabin door.

"Duncan?" Bridgette shot Duncan a pleading look, silently begging him to comfort her brunette friend and just make up with her, but the aforementioned male just shook his head.

_Sorry Malibu. _Duncan thought, leaning the back of his head against the stairs railing and shutting his eyes. _...Sorry Princess, really._

Well, he could check guilt and sadness off the list inside his head.

* * *

**AN: So will Duncan forgive Courtney? Will he ever talk to her again? And will Heather get revenge on Courtney for pushing her into Lake Wawanakwa? ALL THESE QUESTIONS WILL (POSSIBLY) BE ANSWERED NEXT TIME! Review!!**


	5. Duncan's Anger

**_~Her Mask~_**

**_AN: A BIT OF SWEARING IN THIS CHAPTER! You've been warned.  
_**

* * *

"That girl is gonna get it! How dare she push me into the lake! UGH!" Heather shouted, stomping up the steps of the Gopher cabin and sending glares at the four Killer Bass members who were still sitting outside their cabin, and were laughing hysterically at Heather. She looked like drowned cat.

Shoving the Gopher cabin's door open -and once again glaring at the people who laughed upon glancing at her appearance- she went straight to her make up bag and dug around for a mirror to check out the damage.

"What happened to you? Did karma finally come and smack you upside the head?" Gwen asked with a satisfied expression.

"Oh shut it, Goth girl. _Courtney_ pushed me into the Lake!" Heather growled out.

"Sounds like karma to me." Leshawna whispered to Gwen who snickered.

"She's gonna regret the day she ever met me!" Heather vouched, now wrapping her hair in a towel and beginning to re-apply her make up.

"I think we all already regret that day." Gwen whispered back to her black friend, both of them started laughing now, and Heather scowled.

"Heather, where are you going?" Lindsay asked, as the bitchy female started for the Cabin door.

"To go _visit _the Bass cabin." The raven-haired girl smirked, while pushing the door open.

"I bet'cha 10 bucks Courtney gets her butt kicked by Heather." Trent said to Owen, whom he was playing cards with on the floor.

"Oh I take that bet. Courtney's gonna cream her." Owen said with a confident smile.

"We'll see."

The two dudes shook hands and grinned at one another.

"Why are you so th-ure they're gonna fight?" Beth lisped, sitting down beside the two boys.

"We arent." Trent replied.

"We're just kinda hoping." Owen grinned wider.

* * *

Heather marched toward the stairs and paused. What exactly was she gonna do? Just walk right in there and jump on Courtney and start wailing on her? That definitely wasn't her style.

No... she needed to go to a different approach. And she knew just how to do it.

Peering over the small deck of her cabin, she looked at the opposite cabin beside her. Her eyes stopped looking about once they landed upon the outside steps, which still had a certain juvenile delinquent perched upon them.

Perfect.

* * *

It was nearing midnight, and Duncan's friends- and Bridgette- had gone to bed after seeing a soaked Heather. Which just left him sitting outside, just staring out at the moon. He had vaguely heard the Screaming Gophers door open, but it was like his head was underwater. Everything sounded so far away and fuzzy. Maybe it's just cause he was feeling so... what was a good word? Confused? Angry? Either way, he just felt like he had a mass of different emotions raging on inside himself.

It was his fault Courtney had shed tears- even though she did do something awful- and he felt bad about that, really he did. He was never planning on making _that _emotion come to life. Sure, he could make her angry and even scared, but to make her _cry? _No. He couldn't handle that.

"Ugh. I'm turning into such a wuss!" He thought out loud, clenching his hands into fists and turning his face down to stare at his red sneakers.

"Or maybe you're just not as tough as you want people to believe." Duncan jumped upon the girl's arrival and swung his head up to look at her.

"What do you want Heather? I'm busy-"

"Sulking?"

Duncan didn't answer. He just groaned in frustration and leaned back against the stairs.

"So do you know your little _girlfriend _shoved me in the lake?" Heather couldn't keep the venom out of her tone when she spoke the word girlfriend.

"Courtney did that?" Duncan couldn't stop himself from grinning. He was proud of her for that.

"The point is, I need your help-"

"You need _my_ help?" The Punk questioned, snorting in disbelief.

"To knock Courtney down a notch." The raven-haired female finished, ignoring his interruption.

"No way." Wasn't he mad at her? Heather had assumed he would jump at the chance to get back at Courtney for the crazy stunt Heather heard Courtney had pulled.

"But-"

"No way in _hell_ would I ever help you in the first place. Let alone help you mess with Princess." Duncan's eyes seemed to burn with a fire of anger inside them. Himself messing with Courtney? That was one thing. But _Heather _messing with Courtney? Duncan wouldn't stand for it. Only he was allowed to torment Princess.

"You're lucky I'm even asking for you help at all." The Queen Bee quipped.

"And why is that?" His eyes were hard, now. Determined. He wasn't gonna let Heather anywhere near Courtney, angry with her or not.

"Because; if you help me, you'll know what's going on. What I'm planning to do." She began. "And if you _don't_ help me, you'll have no idea. You could go to the bathroom for 5 minutes, come back, and your little _Princess _might have _accidentally_ fallen and smashed her head on the table, giving herself a concussion." She smirked and crossed her arms across her tube top covered chest.

"You bitch." Duncan growled out. Would it be so very wrong to punch this girl? There were no cameras around...

She didn't give him the chance though, because she began walking back to her cabin and tossed him a lazy wave without turning her head.

"Think about it. Come talk to me tomorrow morning."

Duncan's hands were clenched so hard they hurt. Courtney had pushed Heather in to the Lake, and Heather was planning on giving the brunette CIT a concussion? That girl was just deranged. But what could he do? Warn Courtney? No... he doubted she'd believe him anyway. He was going to need to stop Heather from doing whatever it was she was going to do, without anyone else finding out.

* * *

_They both need to learn some respect._ Heather thought to herself, completely furious on the inside, despite her cool and collected appearance.

This wasn't part of her plan. He was supposed to agree! She hated when things didn't go her way.

But no matter, getting rid of Courtney would kill Duncan too. Not literally of course, but emotionally, he'd go ballistic. And maybe get himself voted off.

Sure, she could just get the other idiot Campers to vote Courtney off right now, but that would be way too easy. And no fun for Heather.

Since Duncan was so obviously against helping out- though there was a tiny chance he may change his mind come tomorrow- she would go on planning without him. Either way, Courtney was gonna pay for her crime. Heather would make sure of it.

She made her way back into the Screaming Gopher's cabin, ignoring Trent and Owen's frowns when they realized Heather hadn't fought with the Bossy Brunette after all, and started pacing around the room in aggravation and in thought.

* * *

_I wonder what Courtney did with that spare Dog Collar of mine she found under the bed, anyway. Probably chucked it down that cliff. And I wonder if she'll be pissed at me when I start wearing the original one tomorrow and she realizes the one she got rid of was just a spare? _Duncan thought absentmindedly while finally crawling under the blankets of his bunk. The urge to get some sleep was beginning to really weigh on him, despite his almost overwhelming need to go sit by Courtney's bed like a watch dog. He wasn't about to go and make it painfully obvious that he was keeping a close eye on his Princess- and on the she-devil herself- but he wasn't going to just sit by and just let things happen, either.

Resting his arms above his head and shutting his eyes, Duncan let himself go deeper into thought. He was almost mystified at how everything had turned out so far. His intentions had first began with him just wanting to mess with Courtney and annoy the heck out of her. Then he moved on to trying to get her to drop that darn stubborn act of hers. But now he was secretly protecting her from being harassed -or worse; injured- by the seemingly mentally unbalanced Queen Bee? What a strange turn of events.

_Princess, stay safe while I get some shut eye. Okay? _Duncan thought with a small snort at how disgustingly mushy he sounded.

_On second thought, Heather, just leave Courtney the fuck alone. Kay? _And with that thought, Duncan drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**AN: Aw, no Courtney in this chapter. I suppose this was just sort of a filler. But dun dun dun, what is Heather planning on doing? Will Duncan stop her in time?! TUNE IN NEXT TIME TO FIND OUT! XD**


	6. Scavenger Hunt Gone Wrong Part 1

**_~Her Mask~_**

**_AN: Hey guys. ^_^ Thanks for all the amazing reviews. But I gotta say, without a doubt, my favourite reviewer __is_** CarmillaD . _**And I would of loved to be able to tell her this personally, but she doesn't have an account. T_T (I'm guessing you're a she, sorry if I'm wrong. ^_^;;) But her reviews are always my favourite and I always look forward to them. Anyway, enough of my rambling. ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

* * *

**_

Courtney woke up to the birds lightly chirping and the soft snores of her fellow team mates, which surprised her. Chris had actually let them sleep in for once? On a challange day? Weird.

Moving sluggishly, the brunette heaved herself off of her bunk and started gathering some things up to take an early morning shower before anyone else awoke. But when she left the rickety old cabin and walked into the communal bathroom, she felt a shiver rise up her spine. Maybe it was because the last time she was here, Duncan had made her feel things she'd never felt before. She shook her head, trying to clear it, -as well as the blush that had made its way to her cheeks- then started undressing.

* * *

Duncan yawned and stretched his arms up over his head. He felt nice and well rested for once, but a tad on edge still. Even his dreams consisted of him wailing on Heather, or drowning her in the lake. He felt almost evil. Sure, he would like to think he was a tough guy and a bad ass, but he had never killed someone. Of course, the thought had crossed his teen aged mind many many times, but to actually go through with it? That just wouldn't be right. But...for Heather, he might make an exception.

Chuckling quietly to himself, he hopped out of his bed and strolled past the row of empty bunks, tugging on his shirts and dog collar as he went. He must of slept in pretty late, considering practically the whole cabin was empty.

There was a little nagging feeling in the back of the Punk's head that was urging him to go check on Courtney. But still trying to keep up with appearances, he ignored it and walked outside casually.

"Ready to talk?" Heather's obnoxious I'm-royalty-and-you're-nothing-but-pond-scum tone of voice was started to drive Duncan insane. It also brought back that slightly annoying, but overwhelming desire to protect Princess at all costs. Which currently meant informing Heather that she would end up seriously maimed if she didn't back off.

"Yeah. I am, actually. And I wanna clear up a few things-" Duncan was cut off as the intercom in the middle of the camp let out a high pitched whine that made everyone on the Island cover their ears or cringe.

_"Campers! All of you, get your butts down to the Bond Fire circle for today's challenge!" _Chris' overly perky voice echoed through the Island, making the teens groan but truck down to their requested meeting place.

* * *

"I hope you are all rested and ready! Because today's challenge is going to be bru-tal!" Chris separated the last word into two syllables while grinning like a kid at Christmas.

"Today, I was _planning _on a cooking challenge. But since the delivery truck seemed to have a little accident and couldn't make it here, we're switching it up!" He declared.

"Any guesses as to what it is?" The narcissist host asked the bored looking campers.

"Is it a 'Shove the Host into the camp fire pit if he doesn't hurry this up' challenge?" Duncan glared at Chris who raised his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. Yeesh, take a pill." He cleared his throat. "Today's challenge is going to be a scavenger hunt!"

There was a few grumbles and groans from the group, but no real disagreement.

"A scavenger hunt doesn't sound so bad. Kind of fun, actually! And totally easy! Woo!" Owen smiled widely and let out another whoop of excitment -along with some _excited _gas- and all the Campers gasped while scooting a little farther from the human fart machine.

"What?"

**"****DON'T SAY IT'LL BE EASY!"** All the teens shouted.

"Why not?" Owen shrunk down lower on the wooden stump he was seated on.

"And did I mention you'll all be hand cuffed together in groups? And that the contest will last at least a day? Since some of the things you'll need to collect may only come out at night. Plus you'll be all alone in the woods with the _bears_ and other _dangerous_ wild life." Chris smirked.

All the Killer Bass' and the Screaming Gophers' glared at Owen.

"Hehe...oops."

"Now, for the teams of 2." The black haired male began. "Which, will be two campers from different Teams by the way." Chris added speaking once again. "We have... Beth and Harold, Geoff and LeShawna, Gwen and Sadie, Owen and Bridgette, DJ and Trent, Lindsay and Duncan, and Heather and Courtney."

Duncan choked and coughed a few times, but no one seemed to notice. Chris was explaining how the challange would work, but Duncan wasn't listening.

_Heather. Princess. Alone. Woods. _Was the only thing he could hear as it played over and over inside his mind.

Why couldn't God make the whole Heather thing easier on him? Did an evil force of some kind actually _want_ Princess to be _'accidently'_ shoved at an angry bear by the Queen Bee?

"Uh, Doug, we gotta get started." Lindsay startled Duncan when she touched his shoulder, which caused him to jump.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry." Duncan took the handcuff from Lindsay's hands-while ignoring the fact that she got his name wrong- and connected their hands together with the uncomfortable metal cuffs.

"I am _not_ being chained up to her." Duncan's head turned to look at Courtney who was glaring at Chris with her arms crossed and the same old angry and stubborn expression on her face.

"Sorry, Courtney. Teams have been made. Now you and Heather better get a move on." Chris was taking too much satisfaction from this. It pissed both Courtney and Duncan off.

"Come on, Chris. I don't mind switching with Princess." Duncan insisted while dragging Lindsay with him as he walked up to the Host and CIT.

Heather was still sitting on one of the stumps, observing the group with a watchful eye.

"Why? So cause you think Heather's so _hot_?" Courtney growled out, glaring at Duncan.

"What? No. Lindsay totally beats Heather in that department-"

"Forget it. I'll stick with Heather." Courtney snatched the metal handcuffs Chris was holding out to her, and walked over to the raven-haired female.

Perhaps the CIT was a tad bitter for Duncan not coming to comfort her the night before, okay, so maybe she was more than a _tad _bitter.

_Well fuck. That didn't go the way I planned. _Duncan held back a sigh. He had been so confident about keeping Courtney safe just over an hour ago, and now he was nothing but a blubbering idiot.

"Hey Duncan, I'll see you at the finish line." Heather smirked as she and Courtney passed the blond ditz and the delinquent.

And said delinquent noticed right away the tone the she-devil used, and what she really had meant. _"I'll see you at the finish line. Too bad Courtney wont."_

"Oh screw it." Tossing the morals Duncan's Mother had pounded into his brain as a kid out the window, -Number 1 being 'Never hit a girl'- he delivered a swift kick into the back of Heather's caff, causing her to tumble forward. Duncan made sure to grab a surprised Princess' arm before she fell down too, and smirked as Heather glared at the male.

Sure, his Ma would be ashamed of him, but it was worth it to have seen Heather take a face plant into the dirt.

What made everything even better was when Courtney started giggling. it was an adorable, light, and happy giggle. It brought the largest smile to his face, and made it easier for him to block out Heather's death glares and Lindsay's own giggles of glee.

"Well, that was sure unexpected. And _awesome!_" Chris yelled, instantly shattering the warm feeling inside of Duncan, and stopping the Brunette's fit of laughter.

Courtney cleared her throat and stared at Duncan's hand which was still holding onto Princess' elbow, he let go and turned to Lindsay who was still snickering at the now filthy faced bitch.

"Come on Linds." Duncan and the blond bombshell began walking forward, while Duncan kept glancing at a fuming Heather and a gleeful Courtney out of the corner of his eye. Something he'd keep doing till the females split off into a different direction then himself and Lindsay. Heather wasn't going to touch one hair on Courtney's head; Duncan would make sure of it, even if he had to give up on the challenge and leave the blond in the forest somewhere. Princess was his top priority.

This was gonna be a long day.

* * *

_I can't believe he did that! I am going to destroy him! _Heather shrieked from inside her head. She snarled at Courtney who would snicker every few seconds, taking way too much delight in the fact Duncan had made the raven-haired Queen Bee eat a face full of dirt.

_I can't believe he did that! Oh my god, that was hilarious! _Courtney thought inside her own mind, she hadn't felt like laughing this much since the time her Mother accidentally spilt Coffee on her Father's new white pants. It had been a completely juvenile thing to laugh about, as was this, but the look on her Father's face had been priceless. Just like the look on Heather's when she'd fallen.

"The first thing we need is a bird's feather." The mocha-haired girl looked down at the list, then over at her temporary teammate. Though she didn't seem to be listening. Courtney was nothing if not determined. She hated losing, so even though she possibly hated Heather even more, Courtney would work with the other girl and win this.

_So we get all the items on the list, then head back to Camp. Once we're half way there, Chris will unlock our cuffs and we race to the finish line. Whoever is back first gets a point for their team. _Courtney thought, silently reading the rules that were printed on the piece of paper in her hands.

"AH! Hey!" Courtney squeeked as Heather suddenly tugged her hand roughly, leading the Killer Bass member down a different path in the forest. It was mostly downhill, with lots of bushes and stumps, so Courtney was stumbling and getting poked and pricked.

"I think I heard a bird down here." Heather turned her face from the girl to hide a sinister smirk. Destroying Courtney would destroy Duncan, too. So easy. She reached for her her tube top, and reaching her hand into her bra for the well hid item inside.

* * *

"And then she was like, 'He did not date her!' and I was like, 'Oh he totally did.' and-"

"Lindsay, would you _please _stop talking?" Duncan begged, though the blond continued to chatter away.

Duncan sighed and casted another glance behind him. And without warning he stopped; jerking Lindsay backward by accident.

_Dammit, dammit, dammit! I'm supposed to be watching out for Courtney. If something happens to her... _Duncan shook his head. He wouldn't finish that thought.

"Lindsay, I'm gonna need you to stay here, okay?" Duncan hastily pulled out a key he fished from Chris' pocket when he wasnt looking, and unlocked the handcuffs.

"Wait? Like, where are you going?" Lindsay yelled out as Duncan took off into a run.

"Just wait for me there!" Duncan shouted over his shoulder and ran in the opposite direction the two had been walking in.

_Princess, come on, where are you? Give me a signal! _Duncan thought desperately.

And then he heard it. That unmistakable sound.

A gunshot.

* * *

**AN: DUN DUN DUN!!!!! TO BE CONTINUED! ~REVIEW!**


	7. Scavenger Hunt Gone Wrong Part 2

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

Duncan ran faster then he thought possible for a human, jumping over bushes and ducking under tree branches. It was almost like he was on auto-pilot, he feel frozen and cold but the adrenaline kept him going faster and faster toward the sound of the gun being fired.

* * *

At first, Courtney didn't feel the pain, still in pure shock as she watched the blood drip from her stomach. A sickening puddle of red was pooling beneath her; but all Courtney could do was stare. This wasn't really happening... it was all a dream. Yeah. She was gonna wake up any second, and be perfectly fine.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there before Heather unlocked the handcuffs and took off, looking pale and down right scared. She should be scared. Terrified. But Courtney didn't feel scared, now that the shock had wore off, all she felt was the pain.

_Am I...dying?_

* * *

Duncan's adrenaline seemed to wain after a while, and was replaced with pure anger and other emotions he wasn't aware you could feel in the first place.

Zipping through the forest, he was looking around frantically for a sign of Princess. But maybe he shouldn't worry, it probably didn't even come from Heather and Courtney, Chris was probably just messing around with a gun full of blanks or something. Hopefully he shot himself in the foot for causing Duncan so much worry and panic.

_But if it _was _from Heather... if Princess is hurt... _WAM! Duncan groaned in pain, tumbling backward, his thoughts being cut off as he had collided with something or someone.

"Ow! Watch where you're goi-" Heather's eyes opened to stare at Duncan for a moment, but a moment was all she got before she was tackled to the ground.

"What did you **do?!**" Duncan shouted at her, she got 5 seconds to speak before he started strangling her.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't think the gun had any bullets in it! I was just gonna scare her with it-"

"Heather," Duncan's low tone of voice shut Heather up right away. She had never seen him this way. Sure, she'd seen him angry, but this... this scared her. Like he would kill _her _without a second thought. "If Princess isn't...isn't _okay_," He couldn't bring himself to say alive. "I'm coming back to find you." He promised with a dark expression. "Now where is she?"

"D-Down there, I think." Heather's hand shook as she pointed a little ways down the hill.

He nodded and hopped off of the scared Queen Been, then started running for the third time that day.

* * *

Courtney felt exhausted, like during that awful Awake-A-Thon, but she also felt wet and sticky from laying in the blood under her.

"Princess." She heard a voice breath out in relief, but the relief faded as quick as it had come.

"No. No. _No._ Courtney!" Duncan knelt down beside her, his hands shaking. He'd taken first aid, he should know what to do, but his mind was blank with panic.

"This is all my fault..." He whispered while leaning over to check her heart beat, which was still thumping lightly.

"It's not your fault, you Ogre. Now get your head off my chest." Courtney said softly without any real venom, her onyx eyes opening slowly. But what shocked her was the tears in Duncan's own eyes.

"Duncan-"

"Just rest." He ordered and very gently lifted her up, which made her wince despite his soft movements, as he started to jog quickly up the hill.

He didn't feel like the intimidating and furious guy who had just basically made Heather pee her shorts in fright, he felt like a scared 16 year old who had bitten off more than he could chew. Which was exactly the case.

Duncan ran a bit faster, and the two were silent the whole time, almost scared to ask the question that was hanging over their heads like a dark cloud.

Courtney, was the one who decided to ask it.

"Duncan, am I dying?"

"Don't worry about it, Honey. I'm gonna bring you to Chris and Chef will get you all fixed up." Courtney noticed how he hadn't actually answered her question, and how his eyes still glistened with oncoming tears.

"What? The all mighty tough guy, Duncan, is going to _cry_ over _me?_" Courtney teased lightly.

He snorted once. "Sweetheart, tough guys cry too." Duncan paused. "Especially if the girl they're in love with has a bullet wound in her stomach."

The bleeding brunette was silent for a moment.

"Princess?"

"You love me?"

_Oh shit. Had I said that out loud?_ Duncan could feel his face turn a light shade of pink, that he quickly tried to hide. This was _so_ not the time to be talking about this!

"Duncan! Courtney!" The Punk never thought he'd ever be so relieved to hear Chris' voice as he was right now. They had just arrived at Camp and Chris was waiting for them without his signature grin for once.

"Heather told us what happened. Come on, Chef's got a bed waiting for Courtney." The host ushered the two teenagers inside the tent where Duncan put Courtney gently on the cot.

Duncan turned to leave, but Courtney's hand reached out and grabbed his.

"Thank you, Duncan."

He turned back and smiled at the brunette, but decided not to speak. No doubt whatever he said now would come out extremely mushy; and with all the cameras pointed at them, he just couldn't get it out.

Exiting the infermary tent, he spotted Heather and marched up to her. He kinda assumed she'd shrink back in fear or something, but she just stared right back at him with a slight smirk that made him wanna strangle her all over again.

"So you told Chris what you did?"

She scoffed. "As if. I told him what _Beth _did."

"Beth? You blamed this all on Beth?!" This girl had no soul.

"And everyone believed me. I set up all the evidence. So now if you'll kindly keep your mouth shut-" That was all she could get out before Duncan grabbed both of her shoulders and slammed her up against the side of the Gopher cabin. All of the cameras were focused on Courtney or the other players who were still in the woods, so no one paid attention to this.

"You listen to me, Heather. And you better listen pretty fucking good, cause I'm not gonna repeat myself." Heather swallowed meekly but remained quiet. Hm... maybe Duncan had split personalities. One, being his normal, slightly intimidating but just a marshmallow underneath self. And two, being this hardcore, badass, guy that Duncan didn't know he had inside himself.

"You, are nothing but a cold and heartless bitch. And you better admit to _everyone _what you did or so help me God I'm going to-" He paused for half a second. "No." The Punk let go of the trembling girl and took a step back. "I'm not gonna threaten you."

"W-What? All bark and no bite?" Heather said weakly and Duncan scoffed and fingered the spikes on his dog collar.

"Don't tempt me."

The raven-haired girl straightened out her tube top and sent him a snotty glare, the fear on her face was gone completely.

"Oh please. You were never gonna hurt me in the first place."

He actually laughed, though it was a bitter and hard laugh. "If Princess hadn't made it back here in time, I would of been after you with that axe I found, on the first day here." He grinned at her, but there was no amusement nor any sign that he was kidding in his eyes.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go grab something to eat." She pushed past him and walked down the first wooden step before she felt his hand shove against her back, causing her to trip and fall forward, laying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the steps.

"I still think it's in your best interest to tell everyone what happened," Duncan said casually, walking past the tangled up Heather. "And stay the hell away from _my _Princess." He nudged Heather lightly in the side, not hard enough to hurt but just enough to enforce his point, before strolling back into the tent where Courtney was resting.

* * *

**AN: So pretty intense chapter huh? Lol and Duncan's finding out new things about himself. And Heather finally got put in her place. ^_^ Can a get a "WHOOP WHOOP?" ...No? Okay then. TUNE IN NEXT TIME! ~ And remember to Review!**


	8. Brought Up To Speed

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

Courtney awoke in a daze. She felt sore and exhausted still, -despite her seemingly long slumber- but was awake enough to be aware of the fact that a certain criminal had Courtney's hand in his own.

She couldn't contain the smile that spread across her face as she watched him. He was asleep, with his cheek perched on the side of her bed, and was sitting on his knees on the ground, though still gripping her hand tight to let her know he was there.

As the onyx eyed girl sat up slowly, Duncan stirred as well, eyes opening and head lifting from it's spot.

"Princess," He seemed relieved, though it was hard to see his face with the little amount of light in the tent. "I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"A little sore," She admitted. "But other than that, I'm okay."

Duncan gave Courtney's hand a light squeeze and looked out the tent door, it was dark, so it had to be nighttime. Though Courtney could faintly make out the glowing bondfire farther down the hill the tent was on.

"How long have I been asleep?" Courtney asked after a moment of silence.

Duncan pursed his lips in concentration. "Just over a day..." Though he was still looking out of the tent, as if he expected cameramen to burst in the moment she awoke. Which was probably the case.

"A _day!?" _The mocha skinned teen shouted in surprise, and winced at the pain it caused her.

"Calm down." He urged her gently as he faced her again, then placed a hand on her bandaged stomach where the shirt she had on had ridden up.

The CIT would never admit it aloud, but his touch sent an unfamiliar feeling of warmth through her. Kind of like when he had kissed her neck in the bathroom, and that seemed like an eternity ago.

"...And you stayed by me the whole time?"

He nodded, which surprised her. Though before Duncan could speak again, Courtney beat him to it.

"Duncan? What am I wearing?" Courtney squinted at the dark material she had on.

"My shirt." Courtney could make out Duncan's smirk in the darkness.

"W-What?"

"Well yours was soaked in blood, so I just thought..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"No, no. It was nice of you. Thanks." She could smell his scent on it from here. It was almost intoxicating; a mix of fragrances that Courtney couldn't begin to name. It was just so... _him._

Duncan chuckled. "Princess, you're gonna inhale it right up your nose."

Courtney dropped the piece of skull shirt she hadn't realized she brought up to her nose to sniff. Feeling foolish, she quickly changed the subject.

"So, uh, about the whole 'You admitting you love me,' thing..."

* * *

"No way, dude. I'm telling you Beth was with me the whole time! And we never saw Courtney once!" Geoff defended the geeky brunette beside him who nodded with glassy eyes.

"Sorry, Geoff, man. The boat is already on it's way here. Beth's heading home." Chris said, standing at his normal place beside the roaring Camp fire while all the Killer Bass and Screaming Gophers were gathered around it as well. There was no marshmellow ceremony tonight. Beth had been ordered to leave the Island immediately and _no one _but Geoff had spoken out against it. They all believe Beth had shot Courtney. Something that even Gwen, -who didn't particularly like the bossy CIT- cringed at when Chris delivered the news earlier that day.

"How did Beth even get her hands on a gun?" Trent asked, while Beth brought her knees up to her chest and stared out ahead of her, waiting to see the Boat of Losers arrive to take her home. And possibly, to Jail.

"Well...um...I may or may _not_ have a gun." Chris said with a guilty smile -while at the same time, making sure the cameras were all off- and cast a glance at the green infirmary tent in the distance.

All the teenagers gasped, except one, a certain raven-haired girl who just filed her nails with a bored expression. Though no one noticed this.

"So is Courtney okay?" Bridgette asked after a few moments of uneasy silence.

The host ran a hand through his dark hair. "She should be. She seemed to be healing pretty well when we left her with Duncan."

Harold snorted. "He's probably coping a feel right now."

Geoff nudged him with his elbow, causing the nerd to wince. "Duncan's got a bit more class than that, Dude."

"Yeah. A _bit _more. Gosh!" He crossed his arms across his chest.

"I've seen people getting shot on TV but for it to happen here, right at Camp..." DJ added in, shuddering.

"I know. Poor Corey." Lindsay piped up, too.

"Beth, why would you do that to Courtney in the first place?" Owen asked with a frown, then he gasped. "Did she steal your lunch when you weren't looking?! Cause that would make me pretty upset, too."

"I didn't th-oot her!" Spit flew from Beth's braces as she stood up and faced the other Campers, begging them to believe her.

"Just anwser the question, Beth. Why _did _you shoot poor, sweet, _innocent, _Courtney?" Heather asked, her face perfectly blank, while glancing at her perfectly filed nails.

"I-I-" Beth couldn't take it anymore. She started to sob, just as the Boat of Losers pulled up to the dock.

"Come on, Beth." Chris patted the girl on the shoulder then shoved her lightly toward the wooden dock.

Sniffing and sobbing the whole way, Beth dragged her suite case of clothes onto the Boat, than disappeared into the distance.

"It's such a shame when people just snap like that, and do something so terrible." The Queen Bee said with a flick of her hair, causing one person to glare in her direction.

"Who exactly told you what happened in the first place, Chris?" Gwen asked without taking her eyes off of Heather.

"Well it was Heather of course." He replied.

"And you're sure it was Beth who did it?" She goth raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah. I was there." Heather replied snottily.

"But that makes no sense whats so ever!" Bridgette shouted, standing up from the wooden stump she'd been sitting on. "Geoff was with Beth the whole time! So how would she have time to go gun down Courtney?" Bridgette grimaced at her choice of words. It hurt her to know that had happened to her friend.

"Um...actually," Geoff fiddled with his cow boy hat. "I wasn't with her the _whole time._" The blond confessed.

"What do you mean, boy?" LeShawana asked.

"Well when we were half way back to Camp, and got out handcuffs unlocked, I accidentally pushed her over while we were racing back to Camp. She sorta tumbled down this hill...and I didn't see her again for almost 2 hours. So she wasn't with me when the gun shot was heard." The party boy explained.

_Ah, Geoff. You're making this so easy for me. I'm kinda grateful. _Heather thought with a smug smile. But images of Duncan slamming her up against her Cabin made it's way back into her mind. If she didn't tell the truth... no. He had already said he wasn't going to threaten her, besides, she still had the gun. _And _the upper hand.

* * *

"Ah, Court, I..." Duncan fiddled with his dog collar. It was something his Mother told him he'd do when he got nervous. Duncan had gotten his collar when he was 6, right after his dog Petey had run away, Duncan found his collar in the back yard. So in memory of his dog, he'd kept it since.

"You didn't...really mean it. Did you?" Courtney spoke quietly, she wasn't used to feeling this... _vulnerable. _She could feel pools of moister begin to build up in her eyes.

Duncan's teal eyes widened and abruptly took Courtney's face in his hands to make her look at him.

"Sweetheart, don't think that. Please don't think that." He begged. "Of course I meant it, I just..." He trailed off again. What was he supposed to say?

_I didn't actually come straight out and say I love you? _How bad would that sound?

Dropping his hands from her face, he hopped off her hospital-like bed and strolled toward the exit.

"I'm gonna go get Chef to check your bandages out and stuff, okay?" Duncan didn't wait for a response from the girl, he just wanted to get as far away from that tent as possible. And maybe hide under a rock for a few days. He wished he'd never accidentally blurted the little fact out, it just brought another round of stress that Duncan didn't need. He already had to worry about Heather, and about winning TDI and the prize money, and making sure Princess was okay. But him accidentally letting it slip that he _might _love her was just screwing up everything! He didn't wanna hurt her feelings, so he couldn't take back what he said, but he hadn't even said the actual three words yet! Why was life so fucking complicated and stressful for him?

Though true to his word, hands in his pockets, he marched up the stairs into the dinging hall.

"Hey Chef? Mind coming to take a look at Princess' bandages again?"

* * *

"We aren't gonna be filming for a while." Chris informed the tired Campers who were still sitting around the toasty fire.

"It's gonna get out that Courtney got hurt eventually. I mean, what happens when this contest is over? A bullet wound wont just magically disappear." Trent remarked.

"We'll worry about that later. Right now, head on off to bed. Courtney will be sleeping in the Bass cabin by tomorrow." Chris announced, dismissing the teens.

As the narcissist host took his leave, the rest of the competitors stayed put. Each having different thoughts on the whole situation.

_Maybe I should throw Court a massive 'Get Well Soon' party? _Geoff mused.

_I wonder how much getting shot hurts? I've been shot with paintball guns before, and they hurt pretty bad._ Harold pondered.

_There's no way shy little Beth would do something like this. I'm gonna get to the bottom of this. _Gwen vouched.

_Maybe, since Chip isn't filming for a while, he'll take me to the Mall! _Lindsay hoped with a wide grin.

_I'm hungry. _Was Owen's only thought.

Slowly, the teenagers heard someone approach. Whipping around, DJ shot a small smile to a distracted and almost distressed looking Duncan.

"Hey, Dude. How's your girl?" DJ asked as Duncan took a spot beside his friend.

"Alright, I guess." He stared down at his hands for a moment, then his head snapped up.

"Why is she still here?" Duncan narrowed his eyes at Heather who scoffed.

"Cause Beth left." Gwen said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"_Beth _left?" Duncan repeated.

A few Campers nodded.

_So she hadn't told everyone what happened after all. _Duncan clenched his teeth together, he'd deal with Heather tomorrow. Chef was back in the tent with Courtney; so Duncan decided to head back to his Cabin and just get some rest. But before he could even rise from his seat, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked at the blond surfer chick who had a deep frown on her face and looked even deeper in thought.

"If you keep frowning like that, you'll get wrinkles." Duncan quipped, earning himself a smack on the shoulder from LeShawna.

"Uh, sorry." Bridgette let her hand drop from the Punk's shoulder. "I was just kinda wondering..." she paused again, seemingly changing the question she was about to ask. "Why you didn't have your other shirt on." She finished.

Glancing down at his yellow undershirt, he felt himself frown. Just when he thought he could get Courtney out of his head for 2 seconds, she came right back in. Normally he wouldn't of minded, but right now he just felt like shit and just wanted a distraction from her.

"I gave it to Courtney."

"Why?" Trent asked.

"Why do you think? She had a blood gushing injury!" He snapped and Gwen glared at Duncan for it.

"He was only asking!" The Goth Girl barked.

Duncan heaved a sigh. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry Elvis."

Trent, -seeming to always be quite zen- shrugged. "No harm done."

None of the Campers had noticed Heather sneak away -too busy bombarding Duncan with questions on Courtney's well-being- and head up to Courtney's current location.

No good could come of this. No good at all.

* * *

**AN: Another filler chapter it seems. Don't worry, more excitement will come next chapter. I just wanted a chapter where all the Campers just kinda get together and talk. Hmm...but will everyone find out Heather was the one who shot Courtney? Will Duncan actually say those three special words to Courtney? Will Heather finish the job she started when she shot Courtney? TUNE IN NEXT TIME TO FIND OUT!**


	9. Tick tock

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

"Maybe Chris shouldn't have sent Beth away until we figured out what really happened." Bridgette sighed, feeling a bit guilty for not suggesting that sooner.

"Well what could we really do, Bridge? The boat was coming for her before we even had time to take the whole incident in." DJ replied back with a sigh of his own.

Trent rose from the wooden stump he'd been sitting on all night, and stretched while speaking. "What's done is done. We can't exactly worry about it now."

"I say we all head off to bed, and talk about this in the morning." Sadie, who had been quiet the whole night, said softly.

"Good plan, Bra. Night guys." Geoff waved to his fellow Campers then started trucking down to his cabin, everyone but Gwen and Duncan followed.

"Not gonna go to bed?" Duncan murmured to Gwen, staring at the dying Camp Fire.

"Duncan, I just saw Heather sneak into the infirmary." Gwen squinted through the darkness over by the tent. completely ignoring Duncan's former question.

An almost animalistic growl ripped through Duncan's lip as he shot up from his seat and made a dash for the green structure that housed his dear Princess.

"Hey! Wait for me!" The pale girl wasn't exactly sure why she was chasing after him. Though maybe it was in the hopes of seeing Heather get her ass whooped by Duncan?

By the time she had caught up with the Punk, he was already inside the tent, glaring at Heather who was leaned over a sleeping Courtney.

"Heather, what are you _doing_?" Gwen questioned, scooting as far away from the Queen Bee and The Delinquent as the tent would allow, because of a thick tension that seemed to swirl around the two.

Though no one answered her, it almost looked like Duncan and Heather were having their own silent conversation, just with their eyes.

It was a long tense moment before Duncan seemed to realize Gwen was there, and an even longer moment before he cast her a glance.

"Why don't you head off to bed, Gwen?" He said quietly, and then quickly turned his attention to Courtney, who was still sleeping peacefully. His eyes raked over her form as if looking for any sign of damage, then with a relieved look on his face, he shifted back to once again looking- or more like scowling- at Heather.

The Goth almost snorted. He was acting like a freaking watch dog. It was down right ludicrous.

The Gopher Female and Bass Male continued their staring contest and telepathic conversation. Heather's eyes widened and she took a quick step away from Courtney the moment Duncan took a step forward. This amused Gwen. _Heather_ was afraid of _Duncan? _Please, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He was nothing but a big softy underneath, that's how all tough guys were.

"Heather, why don't you tell Gwen what you did?" Duncan challenged the snobby teenager.

"I didn't do _anything._" Heather insisted.

"Not _now. _I meant _before._" He clarified.

"I didn't do anything." She repeated.

"Oh really? Because I seem to recall tackling you to the ground when you were running away after _shooting _Princess." Duncan reached out almost impulsively and brushed a few stray hairs from Courtney's face, upon speaking of the dreaded moment. It's like he needed reassurance that she was there, and that she was still _breathing._

He should of been there... he should of _protected _her. That was the thought that ran through his head every 5 minutes since he found her in the forest. Duncan doubted if he'd ever truly forgive himself. No. He didn't think he ever would.

"You did _what_?!" Gwen shouted, breaking Duncan's saddened trance, and hands balling into fists. Her hunch was right all along. Heather had shot Courtney after all!

"Oh don't act all surprised." Heather narrowed her eyes at Gwen.

"Heather, I knew you were a bad person. I knew you were a cold, cruel, bitch. But to _shoot _someone then let Beth take the blame?! You should be in a straight jacket! Not Eva!"

**AN: My lovely reviews inspired that quote. ;)**

Courtney made a pained groaning noise, and in the same second, she felt Duncan's cool and familiar hand on her cheek.

"Babe? You okay?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was another strangled sound.

Without another thought, Duncan tugged back the blanket that was over her, then pulled up his skull shirt from her stomach. He blanched at the redness ths oozed through the white of her bandages. She was still bleeding. And heavily, at that.

The two Screaming Gopher members were hushed, their former arguement forgotten temporarily.

"Heather." Duncan's head whipped around to glare at the Raven-haired girl who was now as pale as the Goth beside her. The blood was too much for either of the Gophers them.

"Yes?" She squeaked.

"Why did you come in here in the first place?" What? Why was he asking this now?!

"I was just coming to check on Court-"

"Liar!" Gwen and Heather flinched at the harshness in his tone. "I want the truth!"

"It is the truth! I was coming in to see if Courtney was healing or not! I just wanted to make sure she wasn't going to die! I hadn't even meant to shoot her in the first place!" She defended herself in one long breath.

"Gwen. You and Heather go grab Chef, please." He ordered, voice stern, but lower and less harsh than his former tone.

The two girls scrambled out of the tent without hesitation, and Duncan turned back to look at Courtney.

"Princess... I am so, _so, _sorry." He hated himself more now than doctors, Heather, and Celine Dion put together. He should of saved her! But he didn't. He didn't rescue her. Like a Prince _would _have. Anger seemed to burned a hole in his heart now.

"Dammit, Princess! Why did you have to piss off Heather in the first place?! Why couldn't you just be the bigger person and walk away?! Why...?" He rubbed at his teal eyes, blinking back the tears that were pooling. He felt like such a girl, yelling one minute then crying the next.

"No... it's not your fault, Court. That's just who you are. You're feisty." He forced out a laugh. Even though he was getting no response from the girl, he continued. "And I love that about you."

"And... _I love you,_ Courtney."

He took a deep breath and counted back from ten inside his head, but still, he got no response from the brunette. He had very naivély hoped that maybe saying that to her, would bring her out of her unconscious slumber. Like in some kind of Disney movie. Of course, it was entirely true that he loved her, -he realized that now- and he hadn't said it while just thinking it would awaken her. Though, in fear of becoming a total cliché, he hadn't kissed her like Prince's normally did to rouse their Princess' from their sleep.

But did it work on dying girls? Snow white had been sleeping, right? And so had Sleeping Beauty, - from what his limited knowledge of fairytale Princess' told him- so neither of them had been bleeding to death in front of their Prince, walking a thin line between life and death, that was getting thinner and thinner the longer the Prince sat there and did nothing. And eventually, the thin line would snap, and the Princess would fall, and the Prince would lose her forever.

You never saw _that _in a Disney movie.

So it was up to Duncan now. He could sit here and do nothing, -except wait for Chef to arrive. Though Duncan was certain the cook could only do so much. He wasn't exactly a licenced doctor.- and possibly lose his Princess forever, letting her slip through his fingers like sand.

_Or, _he could do something about it.

The clock was ticking.

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock._

The choice was his.

* * *

**AN: Mwuahaha. What a lovely cliff hanger, huh? But you, my dear reader, must review! -Seriously. I worked really hard on this. And It's currently 1:07 AM in Canada where I live. XD- So please review. UNTIL NEXT TIME, GOODNIGHT!  
**


	10. So Much Going On

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews, guys! It means SOOO much to me. And I'm hoping to maayyybee get up to 100 by the time this story is finished. I'm not sure when that will be, but if you guys could help me out, that would be fantastic!

* * *

**

"Chef!" Both girls shouted, bursting into the mess hall, but only to find it empty.

"Crap! Where is he?!" Heather asked Gwen while twisting her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the Cook.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe he went to _sleep? _Like _normal_ people do at 2 in the morning?" Gwen answered sarcastically, seeming much calmer than Heather at the moment.

"Why are you so calm?! Courtney is- is-" The raven-haired girl bit her lip, unable to finish.

"Dying. She's dying." Gwen's voice seemed hard and her eyes were just as cold. But you could see it took a lot of effort from her to keep up that calm front.

"Don't you care!?" Heather continued to shout.

"Of course I care," She didn't seem very convincing. "But panicking isn't going to help. And, if I'm not mistaken, I'm not the one who caused all this."

The Queen Bee continued to munch on her lower lip in anxiousness, acting like she hadn't heard Gwen, while the Goth girl began to speak again.

"But we have no idea where Chef and Chris _go _while we sleep in the cabins, anyways." Gwen sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"So, what? Are we just supposed to leave it up to Mr Delinquent to save Courtney?" Heather scoffed, her voice lowered, no longer a hysterical high pitched whine.

"You're right. Come on." Gwen ran through the open door without giving Heather a backward glance.

* * *

"Dammit, where are those two!? Shit!" Duncan swore again, hands clenched in panic and anger.

"Don't cuss."

Duncan's glance whipped down to Courtney, who was staring back at him, she offered him a half hearted smile. He had to hold back a blush, kind of hoping she hadn't heard his very mushy confession of his love for her. She didn't show any sign that she did, so he decided to forget about it for the time being.

"Hey, you can't control what I say, Princess." He teased lightly, despite the tense situation the two were still stuck in.

"No, but I'm sure there's a roll of duct tape around here..." She trailed off with a very Duncan-like smirk, causing the teenage boy to snort.

After that, the Princess and the so-called Neanderthal were quiet.

"Well, looks like I'm gonna have to handle this myself." Duncan got up off of the cot Courtney had been laying on and took another look at Courtney's bandages, which were getting even more coated in a dark red.

"Duncan, you're certainly no doctor." Courtney clenched her teeth against the urge to vomit at the sight of all the blood. _Her _blood.

He rolled his teal eyes. "No, I'm not. We're gonna need a real doctor. And if I recall correctly, Chris has a helicopter around here..." He smirked at Courtney's wide-eyed expression.

* * *

"How the heck did you get the keys to this thing?!" The brunette winced as Duncan heaved her up as gently as he could to sit in the passenger side of the bright red helicopter before climbing into the drivers side and jamming the key into the ignition. He had re-wrapped Courtney's bloody bandages before he carried to the spot where the Helicopter was.

"You dare doubt my pick pocketing skills, Darling?" He smirked at her when she scowled.

"Duncan this is so stupid. You don't know how to fly a helicopter for starters, this is _stealing, _and not to mention _pointless!_" Courtney screeched and then cringed at the way it hurt her stomach.

He stared at her for a moment with a 'Are you insane?' expression before opening his mouth. "If saving your life is pointless, Sweetheart, than this world is more fucked up than I thought."

She seemed momentarily startled by the deep feeling behind his sentence, before breaking out of it and snapping, "I thought I told you not to cuss!"

He rolled his eyes again and started up the helicopter.

"Wait! Duncan, stop! I really didn't even mean saving my life was pointless, I meant _you _driving this thing was pointless! Go freaking ask Chris!" She shrieked, now ignoring the pain it caused her.

Duncan paused his movements and stared out the windshield for a minute. Yeah, why _hadn't _he asked the show host earlier instead of going out of his way to sneak the keys out of his and Chef's trailer?

Maybe he just wanted to save Courtney's life like a real Prince? Without help?

Oh god, was he a moronic softy.

* * *

The sound of the helicopter propeller caused all the campers who were laying in bed to groan.

"It's still dark out!" Geoff exclaimed, covering his head with a pillow.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." DJ mumbled, also smothering his head with a pillow in an attempt to block out the noise.

"Ugh, when has being an unreasonable time of day stopped Chris before?" Harold questioned.

"Good point." Both DJ and Geoff replied, deciding it was pointless to try and go back to sleep when the whirring of the helicopter continued.

"But wait," The nerd spoke up again. "Wouldn't even Chris still be sleeping? I mean we haven't been asleep that long. You can tell by the position of the moon and-"

"You're right." Geoff cut Harold off. "And hang on a sec, Dude, is Duncan still with Courtney?" he asked DJ, squinting in the darkness to find a sign of Duncan's green mowhawk.

All of a sudden, all three boys had the same horrified expression on their faces while listening to the sound of the flying contraption.

"He didn't."

* * *

"But Mommy... I wanted the Barbie with the pink dress..." Chris mumbled, sleeping peacefully.

The sudden loud roaring of the Helicopter caused the host to jump in fright and roll right out of bed onto the floor.

"Oh my boxers, what is going _on!?_" He shouted, rubbing his now sore forehead.

"Is this what getting woken up by the helicopter is like? Argh, it bites!" He paused. "Wait a sec... if I'm here, who's using my baby?!" Chris was out the trailer door before he even finished his own sentence.

* * *

Gwen and Heather climbed up the steps to the Gopher cabin, totally exhausted.

"I can't...I can't look anymore. I'll collapse." Heather groaned, sitting on the top step.

"And we never even found Chris. Damn." Gwen rubbed her temples to try and sooth an oncoming headache.

"I'm sure Duncan will think of something... I'm too tired to care anymore." The raven-haired female mumbled, resting her head against her arms and shutting her eyes.

"You're too tired to care that Courtney might... not stop bleeding, and you'll go to prison?"

Heather's head snapped up. "P-Prison?"

"Come on Heather, it's not like shooting someone is just a light little crime you can just be thrown into Juvie for. If you really just murder someone in cold blood..." Gwen cringed.

"Okay, okay. I get it. Maybe we should look some mor-" Heather was cut off by the loud sound of a helicopter.

"See? I knew Duncan would think of something!"

"Oh dear god." Gwen's headache was turning into a full blown migraine

* * *

"Duncan, stop this helicopter right now!" Courtney shouted, grabbing onto his arm.

"What? Are you afraid of flying or something?" Duncan questioned, grabbing onto the steering wheel.

"With an actual pilot, no. With a stupid 16 year old boy who has never been in a helicopter in his life, _YES!_"

Duncan turned the key which turned off the helicopter, and then he just stared at Courtney for a moment before frowning.

"How are you feeling?"

"Annoyed, aggravated, distraught, angry-"

"I meant your stomach."

"Oh. I don't know... I think it's stopped bleeding for now, but I still feel really dizzy." Now that Duncan really looked at Courtney, he noticed how pale she was. He ground his teeth together in frustration and shoved the driver's door open.

"Whoa! Watch the face, Dude!" Chris exclaimed, hopping out of the way of the door.

"Chris!" Duncan let out a breath of relief.

"Duncan, you have about 10 seconds to tell me why you're sitting in my helicopter before I kick you off this Island! This was so not cool!" Chris yelled, and immediately ran up to the front of his helicopter to hug it as best as he could. "My poor baby."

"We need to get Courtney to a hospital." Duncan said, casting a quick glance at her in the passenger seat. When he got no answer from the man, Duncan growled.

Taking a few deep breaths so he wouldn't turn the helicopter back on and shove Chris into the propeller, he shouted, "Chris, we have a bigger problem! We need to get Courtney to a hospital. Now!"

The black haired host stopped making kissy faces at the glossy red paint and spun to face Duncan. "Wait, she's still bleeding?! I thought Chef patched her up!"

"Obviously not well enough! We need to go. _NOW!_" Duncan continued to yell.

"We? Sorry Duncan, but she only has two seats." Chris gestured to his _'baby' _who was apparently, a she.

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he nodded. He couldn't waste time stalling while Courtney's life was still in danger. So quickly letting go of his pride, he opened Courtney's passenger side door and gave her a hard kiss on the lips then pulled back. "Get all healed up, Babe. I'll be waiting for you here." He promised. He then slipped the wooden skull he'd been carving for her while she was asleep, -which he'd kept in his pocket until now- into her hands and then shut her door without giving her a chance to even blink.

Duncan stood back as Chris took off in the air to get to the nearest Hospital, and he imagined the shocked faces of all the workers and people outside when the helicopter landed.

"Duncan!" The aforementioned boy turned around to stare at the three Killer Bass males and two Screaming Gopher females run up to him.

"You didn't steal the helicopter?" Harold asked.

"Or did you just crash it already?" Gwen added.

"How's Courtney?" Heather bit her lip while asking.

"How are _you? _You look like you just lost your best friend, man." DJ patted his friend on the shoulder.

Geoff was the only one who stayed silent before too, giving his mowhawked friend a pat on the opposite shoulder and small grin.

"She'll be okay, Dude."

Duncan sighed and nodded. She would be okay. He _had_ to believe that; or he'd go crazy with worry.

"Where is she now? How is she?" Heather asked again, seeming even more nervous now.

"Obviously, Chris took her to a Hospital." Gwen replied, rolling her eyes at the raven-haired female.

"Why do you care, Heather?" Harold raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't you know? Heather is the on who _shot _Courtney in the first place." Duncan spit, then shoved the group around him away, and stomped off; barely listening to the shouting that erupted from the teenagers.

_"I admit that you're even more twisted then I first assumed! _Duncan chuckled to himself, remembering that first day. Too bad he didn't end up being the twisted one_._


	11. Lying

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: All my reviewers and readers, you guys are all so awesome! I know a lot of people skip the authors notes, but I hope you will take the time to read it, and know how much you all mean to me. :) Now, on with chapter 11!

* * *

**

Beep, beep, beep.

_What was that awful sound?_

Beep, beep, beep.

When the beeping continued, Courtney forced her eyes open, and turned her head with a bit of effort. Quickly, she figured out the beeping was coming from the heart monitor she was currently hooked up to.

Where was she?

"Uh... excuse me?" Courtney called out, the lights were shut off, but the CIT was smart enough to realize she was in a Hospital room. The sicken smell Hospitals always seemed to have should of been her first clue.

Though when she called out again, and got no answer back, the brunette sighed and fell back down against the uncomfortable Hospital cot.

Courtney squeezed her hands tightly around the wooden skull that hadn't left her side since the moment she got it, and turned her head toward the bright moon that shone through her window.

She felt tired- drugged, probably, she mentally corrected. But other than that, her stomach felt okay. No pain or ache, just kind of a numb feeling to it. Though she wished her head felt the same way. It was filled with unanswered questions that buzzed around inside like a swarm of stinging bees.

_Will I be sent home?_

_Would what Duncan gave me count as a goodbye kiss? Because no matter what he said, he knew I wasn't coming back to Camp Wawanakwa?  
_

_Was I still dying?_

_Would I sue the hell out of Chris and make sure Heather was thrown in jail?_ Well actually, she had an answer to that one, _hell yes._

_Will I ever see Duncan again? _That question, along with the second one, were the two that bounced around the most. The ones she was the most desperate to get answers for._

* * *

_"Uh, Dude, is he okay?"

"I think he's asleep."

"How do you sleep in a tree?"

"It's not easy. And you wake up totally stiff afterward."

Duncan groaned, the last statement had been correct, his back was killing him, and the obnoxiously loud voices below him were like someone was beating him in the head with a baseball bat.

Worst. Headache. Ever.

"Would you guys shut up!?" The Delinquent yelled, glaring down at the four people below him. Geoff, Owen, DJ, and Gwen.

They all smiled sheepishly as Duncan jumped from the branch he'd fallen asleep on the night before. Somewhere in between worrying about Courtney, and worrying about _them_, as couple, he'd fallen asleep.

"What were doing up in a tree, Man?" DJ asked, raising an eyebrow at the red skull Duncan had tagged on the tree trunk.

"Baking a cake. What the hell did you think I was doing?" Duncan snapped, though the answer was obvious.

"Worrying about Courtney." Gwen said what everyone had been thinking, causing Duncan to frown at her.

"We just came to tell you breakfest was ready." Owen said with a happy grin, nothing seemed to phase him. Especially at the mention of food.

"We were gonna bring it to you, but the big guy probably would of ate it on the way here." Geoff said with a grin, and gave Owen a fake punch in the side of the arm.

"Plus Chef wouldn't even let us bring the food out to you. Said the animals would get it before you did." Gwen added.

Duncan sighed and ran a hand through his hair before forcing out a small smile. "Thanks guys, really. But I'm not hungry."

"Wha- hey!" The boy shouted in alarm as Owen picked him up with ease and tossed him over his shoulder, then began marching to Camp.

"You're eating something. You gotta have you strength up for when Courtney comes back and you guys have a big, mushy, reunion." DJ said with a chuckle, causing Duncan to chuckle too.

"Besides, the food Chef cooked actually looked decent today." Gwen said with a hint of surprise in her tone.

"Yeah. Bacon, eggs, hash browns." Owen licked his lips.

"But Chris said we had to go fetch you before we started chowing down." Geoff spoke up.

"Wait, Chris isn't with Princess?" Duncan asked, his frown deepening.

"No. He came back early this morning."

"But... but she's okay, right?"

Owen stopped and set Duncan down on his feet, they were in front of the Dining Hall now, a delicious smell was wafting in from the windows, but Duncan ignored the way his stomach growled in hunger and focused on the task at hand.

"We don't know," Gwen finally admitted after a few minutes.

"Chris wouldn't tell us anything." DJ added.

"But we _assume, _she's okay." Owen bit the inside of his cheek, staring in through the window at the food inside while he spoke.

"Duncan, hang on." Geoff grabbed his friend's arm as he started to jog off the wooden steps. "Where are you gonna go? You try taking the Helicopter again, and Chris'll kill you."

The teal eyed teenager spun around to face the Party Boy and his other new friends.

"What did he do with Heather?" Duncan asked, his face hard and determined, quickly and silently deciding Geoff was right.

"Huh? Well we aren't sure of that, either. But we haven't seen her all morning, so." DJ shrugged his shoulders.

"So she might be gone." Gwen smiled half heartedly at that.

Duncan made a long, stretched out 'hmmm' noice before walking back up the steps into the Dining Hall.

The two Gopher members, and two Bass members glanced at each other with an almost worried expression.

"Whatever it is going through that boy's head, can't be good." Goth girl said, and the three guys nodded in agreement.

* * *

Courtney was awoken by the birds chirping happily outside, and a nurse who was checking a few things around her room, not even bothering to be quiet about it.

"Miss?" Courtney spoke up, causing the curly red-headed nurse to jump

"Oh, you're awake." She smiled, her face aged and tired looking, with round glassed and tons of freckles. Her name tag said "Julia".

"Um..." The CIT trailed off awkwardly, not really sure what to say to the overly happy red-head.

The nurse condescendingly patted Courtney on the head, which annoyed her greatly, but the nurse didn't notice. "Don't worry, Sweetie. You won't have to stay here too much longer. Just a little over a month or so."

"A-A _month?_" No! Summer would be over by then, she'd have missed the whole competition! Plus the first week of school!

"No, no. I think there's be some sort of mistake. I'm fine!" Courtney argued, flinging herself out of bed, but instantly regretted it as the pain from last night came back ten-fold.

The nurse sighed, as if she was tired of pretending she was enjoying her job, and hoisted Courtney up by the wrists, and less than carefully tossed her on the bed.

"Look, kid. Be a good little girl, and just stay put." The brunette felt her eye twitch. If the older woman patronized her one more time...

"I'm going to go grab you some breakfest. Behave." The ginger haired female patted Courtney's head once more before leaving, though the teenager was sure she did it now just to piss her off.

"I am _not _staying here a month." She hissed once the nurse was gone.

_**You're letting Duncan and the competition cloud your judgement. You're badly injured, you can't just jump out of bed and get right back into the game.**_ That little voice Courtney hadn't heard in a while, spoke up.

Grinding her teeth together, Courtney knew the voice was right. Besides, she didn't even know where she was.

She leaned back over and tried to get comfortable. Yes, the voice had a point. She had to stay and heal.

...Oh, screw that.

Hopping out of bed, which caused her less pain then it did the first time, she stripped off the hideous Hospital gown, and pulled on her blood covered clothing.

* * *

"So Courtney's alive and well, right?" Duncan growled out, holding Chris up in the air by the front of his shirt. It was surprisingly easy for the teenage boy.

"Y-Yes! She's in the Hospital nearest to the Island right now. Now put me down, Dude! You're wrinkling the shirt!" Chris whined.

With a satisfied grin, Duncan set the show host back down on his feet. "Now, how do you suppose I get there?"

"What? You can't leav- I-I mean, I'll take you there myself!" Chris swallowed nervously at the menacing glare Duncan had shot him.

"So, what are we gonna do about the competition?" Heather huffed, walking in through the open door of the dining hall, causing everyone to glare at her.

"What are you all staring at?"

"Oh nothing but an evil, heartless, bitch of a white girl." LeShawana said, her glare turning harsher the longer she stared at the so-called evil girl.

"Are you guys still stuck on that whole 'me shooting Courtney' thing? Jeez, move ON people. She's going to be _FINE._" The Asian girl insisted, flicking her hair snobbishly and marched up to grab a tray and get some of Chef's surprisingly good looking food. Though, before she made it up there, Duncan stuck his leg out just as Heather walked by, causing her to trip and land face first onto the dirty, old flooring.

Everyone burst out into laughter, including Duncan, who Geoff and DJ bumped fists with, leaving Heather to screech like a banshee in anger.

"That's it! You are going DOWN! **ALL OF YOU!**" Heather shouted, slamming her tray down and stomping back out of the mess hall, while rubbing her soon-to-be bruised nose.

"Haha, that was wicked, Dude!" Chris congratulated Duncan, giving him a playful slap on the shoulder, and Duncan grinned in response.

"So, what are you gonna _do _with her, Chris?" Duncan asked, as he began shoving his late breakfest into his mouth in a very Owen-like manner.

"Well, Duncan," Chris flashed him his infamous smile. "We aren't going to do anything except lie our butts off."

"What? You aren't going to do _anything?_" Bridgette, who was sitting across from Duncan asked in surprise.

"Except lie. Courtney's wound will heal, and no one will be able to tell the difference between her getting shot, or just getting stabbed with a stick or something during a challenge." Chris continued to smile.

"You can't do that, Chip! Heather _shot _someone! And you already sent Bell away! At the very least, send Heather away, too!" Lindsay shouted, rising from her seat at the Gopher table.

"I think that was the smartest thing Lindsay has ever said." Harold whispered to DJ with an awe-struck tone.

"Besides the name goofs." DJ whispered back.

"So you just told the Hospital Courtney got hurt in a challenge?" Trent asked, frowning.

"That's right." The sadistic host replied, still grinning happily, and ignoring Lindsay's outburst.

"That's so not cool." LeShawna shook her head in disgust.

"You'll get sued either way." Gwen added with a smirk directed at Chris.

"Ah ha! That's where you're wrong, my Goth friend." He replied joyfully, snapping his fingers, which caused Chef to reached out from the kitchen window and hand Chris a large pile of papers before disappearing again.

"Ahem. It says right here," Chris began to read the contract. "The producers are not responsible for any bodily harm the challenges may cause to the campers."

All the campers shot a glare at Chris.

"Now that is out of the way," The narcissist tossed the contract over his shoulder carelessly and cleared his throat. "Courtney, will be out of the game for the rest of the season, unfortunately."

Duncan choked on the a piece of scrambled egg he was munching on and coughed. "The whole game?"

"Yes. _BUT_ since I'm such a nice guy, and that this is partly my fault, you are excused from challenges this week to go stay with your girl."

Duncan mulled this over in his head. He'd get to see Courtney for a week, skip a week of challenges, and then possibly kick Heather's ass when he got back? It seemed too good to be true.

It definitely was.

* * *

**AN: So, there you have it. Chapter 11. I can almost guarantee you the next chapter will be better than this one. Some fluff, for sure. ;) So stay tuned! And review~**


	12. Hospital Shenanigans

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: Wow, guys! 89 reviews! Getting to 100 should be easy! :) Especially if I have such awesome reviewers like you guys!

* * *

**

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Duncan groaned, drumming his fingers against the door of the bright red Helicopter he was currently sitting in.

"Be patient, man. We're almost there." Chris replied, though kept his eyes on the clouds ahead.

There was a sort of tense silence between the two guys, till the host spoke again.

"So, was she your first?"

"My...first?" Duncan's eyes widened when he figured out the meaning of Chris' sentence.

"W-What? I- Dude-"

Chris laughed. "Take a pill! I was only kidding." he paused while Duncan glared. "We would of found out if you two had done it at camp."

Duncan had to hide a grimace, then. Cameras _were _everywhere on the camp ground... and he quickly made a mental note to check the room for cameras if the time ever arose where he and Courtney might have sex.

Daydreaming about less then pure thoughts now, the Juvenile Delinquent was unaware they had landed in front of the Hospital until Chris shook his shoulder.

"Dude, we're here."

* * *

Eyes darting about nervously, Courtney slipped out of his Hospital bed and quickly scurried down the hallway. She hated Hospitals. The smell, the tragedy that always came with them, and wost of all, the doctors and nurses who really didn't give a damn about the people who were hurt or sick. Like _Julia._

Not entirely aware of her surroundings, Courtney crashed into someone who tumbled backward as she did, and the brunette winced at the way it pulled at her sore stomach.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." The CIT apologized, helping up the small boy she'd knocked off his feet.

"It's okay." He grinned widely, all red hair, blue eyes, and dimples. He was maybe 9 or 10.

"Woah. Are you okay?" The child asked suddenly, staring the blood soaked fabric of her shirt.

"Yep. Perfectly fine." Courtney smiled, then side stepped to go around the boy, but he stepped in front of her again.

"You should go lie down, you're all bloody." His hand reached out now and touched the dry blood on her shirt, and she acted on impulse, and smacked his hand.

The boy shot her a dark glare. "I'll go tell my Mom. She's a nurse."

Courtney rolled her eyes. She didn't have time for this. Someone could come down the Hall at any moment.

"Look, kid,"

"Simon." The red-headed boy cut her off.

"Right, Simon. I have to leave, so if you could please step out of my way..." She trailed off, putting a hand on her hip.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no." He sneered.

"Why you little-" Courtney was cut off by a hand resting on her shoulder.

"You're arguing with a 6 year old. That just doesn't look right." Duncan wrapped his arms very lightly around her waist, while a shocked Courtney smiled at him. And Simon began to fume.

"I'M 10 AND HALF!" He shrieked, causing both teens to cringe.

"Jeez, don't blow a gasket." Duncan snorted, which caused his Princess' to smile to almost turn smug at the child's obvious annoyance.

"So, what are you even doing here?" The freckled female asked the teenager who's arms she was prying from her waist so she could face him properly.

"Better question. Why are _you _trying to sneak out?" The teal eyed boy raised an eyebrow, catching her hand in his, instead.

"Please. You, of all people, should know I'm not gonna stay here and let the competition back at Camp go on without me." She rolled her eyes, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Duncan chuckled. "Of course."

Before the girl could open her mouth to continue speaking, Duncan whirled her around in circle, so she was behind him. Then, he stuck his palm out in time to grab Simon's hand as it came up to try and hit the open air where Courtney just stood. His reflexes were nothing short of amazing, that was for sure.

"Seriously, kid. Where your parents at?" The Delinquent asked, with an amused smile. Though the fact that he even _attempted _to hit Courtney irked him, but Duncan hid it well.

Simon's face turned as red as his hair in anger, and he started to flail his arms around, obviously hoping to hit Duncan few times. But the 16 year old just dropped Court's hand and took both of the boy's wrists in his appendages and smirked.

The kid grounded his teeth together, and sucked in a huge breath before letting out an ear piercing wail, causing Duncan to drop both of his hands and cover his mouth instead.

"Listen here, Chucky." Duncan growled, officially fed up with the 10 year old kid. "Shut it, and go find your parents, before I shove you in the first closet I can find."

Courtney rolled her eyes and walked past the duo, but Duncan reached out and snagged her wrist with his free hand.

"Where do you think you're going, Princess?"

"Uh, I'm leaving. I already told you I'm not staying here." The Princess glared at his hand that held her in place.

"Yeah, you're not staying here for the whole game, but you're staying here for at least a week." Duncan ordered, which surprised and infuriated Courtney at the same time.

"Excuse me?" She wretched her hand free from his grip and put both hands on her hips now, giving him that famous scowl of hers.

_And I thought we were past all of this fighting... hm, guess not. _Duncan mused to himself before jumping as he felt a row of sharp teeth dig into his hand.

"Ow! What the hell!" He glared at the red-headed boy who laughed darkly and disappeared down the hallway.

"Damn, that little brat." The mowhawk wearing teen muttered under his breath, before turning to stare at Courtney who was already at the other end of the hall and heading for the elevator.

Duncan groaned. Did that girl _ever_ listen to him?

* * *

"I say we shove her head down the toilet!" Bridgette shouted, despite her normally kind persona.

"I say we cut off all her hair while she's sleeping!" Lindsay threw in.

"I think we should do both, what about y'all?" LeShawana looked at the group around her.

The remaining Gophers and Bass members were all gathered around the bond fire pit, discussing ideas of things they could do to Heather, who was currently suntanning on the beach not too far away, but out of hearing distance.

"Look guys, we need something that would make Duncan proud." Geoff said, standing up on one of the tree stumps which were normally used as chairs.

"Dude, get off the soap box." DJ snorted, but Geoff just gave him a blank look.

"Soap box...? But I'm standing on stu-"

"Guys. _Focus._" Gwen snapped her fingers impatiently, getting the attention of the two Killer Bass males.

"Geoff does have a point, though." Trent began, "We need to make a plan that would make Duncan proud of us."

"But, why?" Owen asked.

"Cause. Heather shot his girl. And as his fellow campers and friends, we gotta get revenge on Queenie for that." LeShawana replied.

"Plus, we have our own grudges on her anyway, why not kill two birds with one stone?" Gwen smirked at the idea of pelting Heather with stones.

"Alright. Let's think up a plan, Dudes." Geoff said with a shrug, hopping off the stump.

* * *

"Babe, come on. Go back and lay down." Duncan said in a tone that was close to pleading, which annoyed him. He could so easily just throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to bed, but he wanted to give her a chance to come back willingly before succumbing to that.

"I already told you, no. I've missed enough of this game as it is." Courtney replied without turning her head to look at him, and pushed the elevator call button.

"Darling, you're not going to make me drag you back to your room, are you?" She didn't have to look at him to know he was smirking, enjoying the idea.

She spun on her heel to face him with narrowed eyes. "You wouldn't."

Ahaha, they were back to that old game again? More fun for him.

"When will you get it through that pretty little head of yours, Princess? I _will._" He crossed his arms over his chest, with his smirk widening.

"I'll scream." Courtney promised, pushing the button by the elevator again.

"No you won't." He took a step toward her, forcing her to press her back against the cool metal doors.

"Personal space. Ever heard of it?" Courtney muttered crankily, but she was silenced by Duncan crushing his lips against hers.

She couldn't fight him off for long, and began to let his tongue roam around her mouth, which she was sure didn't taste very pleasant. Though he didn't seem to mind too much.

Before they could get much farther, the elevator dinged and the doors pulled open, causing both Duncan and Courtney to fall backward.

With a yelp of surprise, Duncan turned them around so he smacked down onto the ground instead of Courtney, who was know on top of him.

"Well look what we got, here." He grinned, but Courtney hopped upward, her cheeks painted scarlet.

Duncan cast a look up, and noticed a couple of people chuckling at the scene, and one mother covering her young daughter's eyes.

"Sorry about that, everyone. We were just leaving." Duncan grabbed his Princess' hand and dragged her out of the elevator and down her hall again. She was far to embarrassed to even try and fight him, since the doors were still open, and the group of people were still staring at the teenagers with mixed emotions.

This was gonna be a _long_ week.

* * *

**AN: Chapter 13, is next right? Well, I have a favour to ask you guys. I would like you to review, and give me an idea of what the Campers could do to Heather. I'd love to hear all of your ideas, and thoughts about the chapter. And by the way, I absolutely _loath _Chucky. That doll has scared me for years. So anyway, you know what to do! Until next time, tootles!**


	13. Campers Revenge

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: Woohoo! 99 Reviews, everyone! And I wanna thank all of you for getting me this far, and all your ideas for this chapter. I kind of mixed some ideas together, and well, I made this.  


* * *

**"Duncan, get off me." Courtney rarely blushed, but ever since the elevator incident yesterday, it seemed to be all she did. And it seemed to be the only Duncan enjoyed making her do.

"What's the problem, Princess?" He asked innocently, towering over her with his arms on either side of her head, and his knees pressing up against the mattress, keeping her in place below him. But he was very careful to put no weight on her.

"The _problem_ is, we're in a Hospital, the door is _open_, and you're totally invading my personal space!" She listed off, shoving at his chest, though he barely budged.

"But, there's not a single camera in here." He smirked suggestively, and Courtney managed to shove hard enough to fling him off the bed and onto the floor.

"Ow. You gotta stop doing that." He rubbed the back of his head where it had hit the linoleum flooring. "You know I'd never force myself on you, Court."

She rolled her eyes, but was touched by the sentiment.

"Is everything alright in here?" Julia poked her head into the room, and eyed Duncan disapprovingly. It was obvious on her face that she was judging him by how he looked. She saw him as a trouble maker, someone who would disrupt the peace here.

So, of course, Duncan did the _mature_ thing.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Everything's fine." Courtney said with a bit more bite then she intended. After finding out that dreaded Simon kid happened to be Julia's son, she hated that thoughtless nurse even more.

The curly red-head's eyes flickered between Duncan and Courtney, before nodding once and shutting the door in her leave.

"Have I mentioned how much I dislike that woman?" Courtney spoke up, while Duncan took a seat on the end of her bed.

"Only about 28 times." He replied with a grin, and she snorted.

"So, you only have to stay here a week," Duncan began after a moment of silence between the two. "Chris pulled some strings, and you'll be allowed to compete in TDI again in exactly 10 days, today."

Courtney smiled. That had to be the best news she'd heard all day.

* * *

"Alright, you guy's know the plan, right?" Trent asked the two Gopher Members.

"Yes, Sir!" Owen and Lindsay saluted.

"Good. Meet back here in 20 minutes." Trent gestured to where they were standing, behind the Bass Cabin.

Trent was organizing the first part of the plan, and Gwen would be organizing the second. And by the end of the day, the Campers would get their revenge.

"So, wait, what's the plan again?" Lindsay asked, and Trent stifled a face palm and took a deep breath.

"You and Owen, sneak into Heather's cabin, put the sack over her head and tie her up." Trent explained, and the two blonds nodded.

"And then we drag her to the forest, right?" Owen questioned.

"Yes. Gwen will be waiting for you guys there. Now, go."

* * *

"I can't believe I'm stuck out here." Duncan mumbled to himself, leaning up against the wall beside Courtney's closed Hospital room door.

"Your girlfriend finally come to her senses, hm?" A voice asked, though Duncan didn't even flinch at the sudden and hidden voice.

"You gotta work on your sneaking skills, kid. I heard you coming 2 minutes ago." The mowhawk wearing teenager replied coolly, without even looking at the little boy who was now standing in front of him.

"How'd you know it was me?" Simon pouted, putting his hands on his hips in irritation.

With a smirk, Duncan pointed to the child's shoes. "Your shoes squeak."

With a roll of his eyes, Simon spoke up again.

"So why are you standing outside here?"

"None of your business, pipsqueak." Duncan smirked widely at the aggravated look that flashed across the kid's face. He was definitely in need of some anger management, but oh, was it fun to push his buttons.

"But if you _must _know, Court's changing her clothes in there and told me to get out." He rolled his teal eyes. He promised he wouldn't peak and everything! She hadn't believed him for a second.

"Oh, really?" It took about two seconds for Duncan's hand to flick out and grab the back of Simon's green t-shirt as he had raced for the door.

"I don't think so, Chucky." If Duncan himself wasn't even allowed to see Courtney naked, there was no way this little demon child would get the chance to.

"Quit calling me that! And let me go!" He shouted, wiggling and flailing uselessly.

Ignoring the boy's demand, Duncan held onto Simon's shirt while he muttered, "Do you have a thing for Princess, or something?"

Simon stopped struggling and his face turned a light pink, which both amused and annoyed Duncan all at the same time.

"Aw, you do." He spoke in that cutesy voice people always used on their pets while telling them how cute they were.

"S-Shut up!" Simon struggled even harder, so Duncan set him down, but made sure to stand in front of the door.

"Listen, Dude. She's way out of your league." The 16 year old couldn't stop the smile that made his way to his face.

Simon imitated him, "Dude, she's way out of _your _league."

"I don't doubt that." Duncan shrugged.

Simon was kind of stunned by his comment, though quickly shrugged it off in time for Courtney's door to swing open and Duncan to jump to the side before he fell backward.

Courtney had changed out of her gore splattered clothes and pulled her hair into a pony tail, looking much better then before she came here.

"Hey, Babe." Duncan greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, which he did basically just to piss the demon child off.

It worked.

"Hi, Courtney!" Simon waved, a big smile plastered to his face. The look just screamed, _'Look how adorable and innocent I am!'_

_So that's how he wants to play it? Fine. Prepare to be beaten, kid. _Duncan thought, while glaring at the red head._  
_

Courtney looked confused for half a second before smiling at both boys, and deciding Simon's behaviour the day before had just been a temporary thing.

"Hey Duncan, Simon."

"Courtney, will you come play with me?" Simon batted his eyelashes and held out his hand, and Courtney put on her best CIT smile. The one she always used on the children at the Camp she had volunteered at before.

"Sorry, short stuff, I promised Princess I'd take her out of here for a while so we could explore the town." Duncan butted in, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Courtney rolled her onxy eyes. "No, no, he didn't. Sure I'll play with you." Duncan dropped his arm from her waist when Simon took her hand and began leading her down the hall.

When he was sure Courtney couldn't see, Simon turned his head and gave Duncan a big smile.

Simon - 1

Duncan - 0

* * *

"I will destroy you _ALL!_ You better let me down right now!" Heather shrieked, though she had a potato sack over her head, and was hung upside down from a tree limb in the forest.

Trent, ignoring the screeching raven-haired female, looked at Heather and LeShawana.

"Guys, I thought we already agreed, no bats." Trent eyed the two metal bats in the girls hands.

"Boy, do you know how hard we worked to get these?" LeShawana stared from the bat, to Heather, almost longingly.

"No. You guys aren't beating her with a bat."

With an annoyed grumble, both girls tossed the weapons aside and stared at the other campers.

"Well, we got the food like you asked." DJ announced, while he and Geoff walked over to their meeting spot in the forest. They held up some sassagues, ham, and some other meats.

"Good." Gwen grinned and held her hands out for the items.

"Hang on, maybe we should think this through." Bridgette stepped in front of Gwen who was about to start hanging meat products on the still shouting Queen Bee that everyone ignored.

"Aw come on, Bridgette. Don't get all soft on us, now." Harold whined.

"I'm just saying, hanging meat on her and hoping a bear will come maul her seems... wrong." The blond frowned.

"We wanted to beat her with bats." Gwen and LeShawana said in unison.

"This was just plan B." Geoff held up the meat.

"And plus, we aren't hoping a bear will come maul her, we _know _a bear will. Remember how Cody got mauled by that bear? Well, we left a trail of food over here." Owen pointed to a trail of what looked like chips leading to where Heather was hung.

"You know... we could just actually _hang _her from the tree..." Izzy appeared out of nowhere, grinning with crazed excitement.

"Lizzy?! But I thought you got voted off and left after our trip to Borney Island!" Lindsay gasped.

"It's_ Izzy_, and yes, I did get voted off _Boney _Island. But I'm back again! Lucky for you guys, huh?"

No one said anything.

_"YOU GUYS BETTER FUCKING LET ME DOWN NOW!"_ Heather's shouting caused everyone to snap out of their trances and focus.

"Aw, screw it. Let's beat her with the bats first." Trent grinned.

"And then let the bear maul her?" Bridgette bit her lip.

"I feel Duncan would approve of that." Gwen said, picking up the bat with a smirk.

Revenge was sweet.

* * *

**AN: A kind of short chapter. But I gotta say, I'm enjoying using Simon. XD Give me your thoughts! And I know the revenge was kind of... lame? Well, just wait till _Duncan_ gets through with her. ;)  
**


	14. Heat

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: I quite like this chapter. It's kinda short, and with not much of the Campers back at good old Lake Wawanakwa, but things start to heat up in the Hospital. Hence the chapter title. ;)  


* * *

**

_Little brat._

_Little annoying brat._

_Little demonic, evil, cunning, conniving, kinda-reminds-me-a-little-of-myself, brat._

Duncan was currently standing in the line up at the local McDonald's, while wondering what Simon and Courtney were up to.

Sure, it was pretty stupid to be jealous of the kid who had no chance with Courtney in a million years. But Duncan would be damned before he started sharing _his_ Princess with that blasted Chucky reincarnation.

_It's only for five days, it's only for five days, it's only for five days._ Duncan chanted in his head, while glancing up at the fast food menu. He would bring back something for Courtney, too, he decided.

* * *

"Courtney, why are you with that stupid boy?" Simon asked, looking up from his spot on the bean bag chair next to her.

They were sitting in the small play room the Hospital had, while Courtney was reading him a story, er, trying. Though the red-headed child made it difficult by firing questions at her like there was no tomorrow. But this particular question, she decided to answer.

"He isn't stupid, Simon." Courtney clucked her tongue in thought, trying to word this correctly. "He's sweet, when he wants to be. And he's funny, and cute, and-"

"And charming, and smooth, and totally sexy." Duncan interrupted while walking into the playroom with a McDonald's bag.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "He's also totally self-righteous, pig headed, perverted, stubborn, and down right infuriating." she finished, and Simon cast Duncan a smirk. No, Simon had sent Duncan his _own _smirk back at him. Oh, this kid was asking for it.

"Here you go, Darling." Duncan handed her the bag of McDonalds and had to stifle a chuckle at the adorable way her eyes lit up at the sign of the greasy junk food.

"Thank god. The food here is even worse then Chef's brown slop." Courtney kissed Duncan's cheek before digging into the paper bag.

Simon narrowed his eyes at the display of affection between the two, and switched his scowl for an adorable smile.

"_Darling, _can I have some?"

Duncan growled at the little kid, and Courtney coughed a few times.

"What did you just call me?"

"He just called you that," Simon batted his eyelashes innocently. "and I wanted to, too."

Courtney grimaced before turning her attention back to the cheese burger in front of her, while Duncan was glaring daggers at the child.

_Okay. This is fucking war, now.  


* * *

_

"I have _never _been more disappointed in you kids." Chris paced back and forth in front of the remaining Campers, his hands behind his back, and his head tilted to look at the ground as he walked.

"You beat Heather with _baseball bats, _let her get _mauled by a bear, _AND _shaved her head!_" Chris shouted, finally coming to a stop in front of Gwen, who tried hard not to laugh, though the rest of the Campers looked a bit guilty.

"I am so ashamed of you guys. You did all that, and you didn't even bring a camera with you!" The teenagers looked at one another, then back at the host, and smiled.

"Hey, we'd be happy to recreate the beating her with a bat scene!" LeShawna spoke up.

Chris chuckled. "Thanks for the enthusiasm, LeShawna. But Heather is gonna have to stay in the infirmary for a couple weeks until she can even walk properly."

--

"I feel bad." Bridgette said, once the Campers had walked back to their respective cabins.

"What's done is done, Bridge." Geoff wrapped his arm around his girl's shoulders and gave her a small smile.

"I guess so..." The Surfer chick pulled her knees up to her chest while sitting on Courtney's bunk with her boyfriend beside her.

"I wonder how Courtney is doing..."

* * *

"Okay, Simon. Just back off." Duncan growled out once he and Simon were standing in the Hallway once again, and Courtney was changing into her PJs for the night.

"Why? You feel threatend? That I might steal your little _Princess?_" The red-head put air quotes around the brunette's nickname.

"Hell no." Duncan scoffed at the idea. "But Courtney needs to be relaxed, and heal. And when you make her uncomfortable like that, and stress her out, you stress me out. So unless you don't wanna feel my converse up your ass, you better just leave her alone."

They both heard shoes clunking down the Hall, suddenly, and Simon smirked but putting on a fake pout while his blue eyes filled with fake tears.

No. He wasn't going to...

"M-Mommy!" Simon sobbed, running up to Julia and clutching her leg.

Yep. He was going to.

"Sweetie, what's the matter?" She knelt down to his height and ran her fingers comfortingly through his curly hair.

"Th-That guy was mean to me!"

"What guy?" Julia raised an eyebrow, looking to where Simon was pointing, but seeing nothing but the dull yellow walls of the Hallway.

--

"Duncan!" Courtney's shout of surprise as Duncan barged into the room was muffled when he pulled his hand over her mouth.

"Shh, Babe." His eyes were shut tight, as respect for her.

She ripped his hand from her mouth and grimaced, even though he couldn't see it.

"I thought I told you to stand in the Hallway."

"I know, I know." Though unable to help himself, he opened one teal eye, to see she was fully dressed in a grey tank top and matching pajama short shorts. "Hot."

Courtney rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were a light pink. "You're impossible."

"I think I'm very respectful of you, Princess."

"You? Respectful?" She snorted.

"Mm hm. Because I could be giving into my feelings, and be doing this," he wrapped his arms around her waist and brushed his thumb finger against the exposed mocha skin between her shorts and shirt, which caused her to shudder delicately.

"Or this," He moved his other hand to trace her lips with his pinkie finger, and her fiery onyx eyes fluttered closed.

"Or maybe this." Duncan pressed her lightly up against the wall behind her, and leaned forward to suck lightly on her neck, which caused a moan to slip through her lips.

_Ah, how I've missed that wonderful sound._ Duncan thought with a sly grin, and was about to continue his torture, when the door swung open.

"I-It was him! He was being mean to me, Mommy!" Duncan had made sure to jump backward from Courtney, who was attempting to keep her cool and calm facade into place, when really, Duncan knew she was going crazy with desire inside. He gave her a quick, apologetic smile, and assured himself that he would make that burning feeling leave her body another time; when Simon was gagged and shoved in a closet somewhere.

"You! Were you bullying my son?" Julia growled at Duncan, who put on the same innocent smile Simon wore earlier.

"What? Of course not." Okay, so maybe the innocent smile didn't have quite the same effect when you weren't actually a 10 year old boy.

"Get out." The mad cow of a woman snarled. "Get out of this Hospital!"

"Look Lady-" Courtney butted in, but was cut off.

"_You_ be quiet!" Princess' mouth fell open for a split second, before her cheeks turned red with fury.

Though, before she could unleashed the anger that had obviously replaced the former feeling of lust inside her, Duncan jumped in.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to her like that." The bad ass side of the Juvenile Delinquent who had almost made Heather pee her pants back on the Island, was clearly back with a vengeance.

"I've put up with your son's shit for the past two days! And that, I can handle, but when he starts invading Courtney's life too, that's when I have to step in." The nurse remained quiet, as did her devil of a son.

"So, take you fucking kid out of here, send a different nurse to check on Princess, and stay the hell out of our lives!" With that, Duncan slammed the door in the faces of the two red-heads, with Courtney grinning beside him.

"That was amazing."

Duncan chuckled, back his old self again.

"Sweetheart, you don't know how amazing I can be."

* * *

**AN: Like I said, I like this chapter. But I have a feeling that little boy will be back. And I also have a feeling, that the _heat_ between Duncan and Courtney, is just gonna keep building. So until next time, review~**


	15. With Love

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: Hey everyone! Just a little heads up, I love playing with the lust between Duncan and Courtney, but I don't think I could write anything close to a lemon. _ Just the thought of it creeps me out. But, that doesn't mean it's gonna be all rated PG.

* * *

**"It's not fair!" Simon shouted, kicking at the bean bag chair he had been sitting on the day before.

Pouting, he dropped into it with a sigh. He was quiet for a moment, before grinning deviously.

_Oh yes, that just might work. And by the end of the day, Punk boy will be out of the picture.  


* * *

_

"Duncan, come on. Wake up." The finger that continued to poke into his side made it hard to sleep anyway, so he opened a teal eye to see Courtney hovering over him, despite it still being dark outside.

"What's the matter, Princess? Can't sleep?"

She shook her head, and almost looked embarrassed. "I... had a bad dream." She twiddled her thumbs together, and Duncan smiled softly.

"Say no more." He opened his arms for her, and she crawled into the bed with him and snuggled into his chest.

Since Chris had pulled a few strings for Duncan, the Hospital had let him stay in one of the spare rooms next door to Courtney's. And at first, Duncan had worried that she might start bleeding again in the middle of the night, and he wouldn't be there for her. Though for the past three nights, Courtney had been sneaking into his room and sleeping in his arms. He had begun wondering if she really had been having nightmares, or if that was just an excuse. Not that he cared either way.

"So, what was your nightmare about?" He murmured into her ear, while rubbing calm circles on the small of her back.

"Duncan, are we really going out?" Duncan blinked in confusion at the sudden switch of conversation.

"Uh, I think so. Unless you wanna be called friends with benefits, cause-"

"Ugh, no, that sounds terrible." Courtney cut him off, and he chuckled.

"Why are you asking about this now? I mean, we haven't really talked about it, but one would assume we _are_ in fact, dating." Duncan stretched his neck up to look at the clock while he spoke, and saw the green numbers on the clock read 3:21 AM.

The Princess made a humming sound and then yawned.

"I just... want you to know, how much I love you. And I wanna thank you for all that you've done for me." He could practically see her cheeks light up with a bright pink at the statement.

"Babe, you don't need to thank me," He paused to peck her lips lightly, before speaking again. "And I love you, too. So much, Courtney."

The CIT smiled, and leaned closer toward him. "But no wedding rings until we're at least 19, kay?"

It was Duncan's turn to blush. "Sure, sure. Whatever you want, Princess."

* * *

"Ugh... what happened?" Heather groaned, she felt like she got run over by a semi-truck.

"You got mauled by a bear." Chris' sudden presence made Heather gasp in surprise.

"Chris! Don't sneak up on me, like that!"

The host didn't say anything more, so the bald she-devil spoke, "I got mauled by a bear?"

"Yep. Looks like you had it even worse then Cody. He still had his hair." The sadistic host grinned.

"W-What?!" He handed her a mirror and she let out a high pitched scream.

"NO WAY!"

* * *

Duncan ran a hand through his mowhawk as he trucked down the Hallway to the front lobby by order of Princess Courtney.

_"McDonalds. Hungry. Go." _Was all she had said, before pushing him out of the room.

Chris had managed to rent Duncan a car, so he wasn't stuck walking everywhere. Which seemed like way too nice a gesture to come from Chris, but hey, don't look a gift horse in the eye. Or was it the mouth you weren't supposed to look into? Why would you look in a horse's mouth in the first place? And what the hell is gift horse? Do people give them as gifts? Or are they just gifted?

Mauling this over inside his head, he was unaware he'd smacked into someone until he was struggling to keep upright.

"Sorry!" A very female voice apologized quickly, she was blond and very... Barbie doll looking. Blue eyes, too tight clothing, and he was sure that nose wasn't real.

"It's my fault, I was thinking about-" Duncan cut himself off before clearing his throat. "Stuff; and I didn't watch where I was going."

"Hey... I know you!" Barbie smiled widely. "You're Duncan! From Total Drama Island!"

The aforementioned teenager internally groaned. Of course, just his luck to run into an actual fan.

"So why are you here? Shouldn't you still be like... filming, right now?"

"Look, It was nice meeting you, but I really gotta go." Duncan stepped past the blond girl but she stepped in front of him again.

"Come on, stay and talk with me." She pouted, putting her hands on her hips in a very Courtney-like manner.

_Courtney._

"Blondie, seriously, I need to go." He stifled a grimace when the girl just squealed.

"Blondie? I already have a nickname!"

_Okay, so maybe that wasn't the best choice of words._ The Delinquent was about to attempt to walk around her, when the fake looking teenager stretched up and pecked his lips, and made sure to lean into him. Duncan jumped backward a second too late.

"What the hell!?" _Okay, that's it. No more Mr. Polite._

Blondie pouted and tucked a piece of her too-blond-to-be-her-natural-hair-color hair behind her ear, in a way she must of thought looked cute.

Shaking his head, Duncan side stepped the girl again and managed to make his way through the lobby door and out to the parking lot.

"Great work, Lisa." Simon bounced out from behind the reception desk with a grin, holding up a digital camera.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now, I'd like my payment in cash."

* * *

"There's nothing onnn." Courtney whined, laying stomach down on her Hospital cot, and flipping through channels on the small TV the Hospital had to offer.

Deciding on a documentary about animals, she snuggled into the blankets and began to watch. Though about three minutes in, there was a knock on the door, and an envelope was slipped under the door.

The bored and hungry CIT raised an eyebrow at the envelope, before sliding off the bed and scooping up the letter.

Opening it up, and pulling the picture out from inside, Courtney's onyx eyes widened and she clenched her teeth together. She stared at the photograph for a few more minutes, as if she was hoping that what she was seeing wasn't true, before the tears welled up.

* * *

Going through the McDonalds drive-through had been a pain, but Duncan had finally gotten Courtney's food, and drove back to the Hospital.

It was quite chilly, despite it being the middle of July, and the dull yellow walls of the Hospital almost seemed welcoming now.

So trudging up to the third floor, the teenage boy had managed to forget about the former incident with the plastic chick that early morning. That is, until he opened the Hospital door, to see a photo laying on Courtney's bed, with a note in her handwriting beside it.

It only took a second for Duncan to glance at the photo before rage bubbled up inside him. Simon.

"That little bastard!"

Ripping the photo into pieces, he glared at the little specks of color, before picking up the note. But after reading the first few lines, his heart was already crushed.

_Duncan,_

_I'll make this quick._

_I don't really care who that blond girl is, or why you kissed her._

_I'm going home, Duncan. Good luck, though; I hope you win TDI._

_And I want you to know that I don't regret anything... not now, not ever._

_We're done.  
_

_With Love, Courtney._

_

* * *

_

**AN:** **Yep. I'm really ending the chapter right there. But believe me, I was just as sad to write this, as you are to read it.**_  
_


	16. Make It Work

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: -Sniff- I want them back together just as much as I'm sure you all do.

* * *

**

Was this what a broken heart felt like? Duncan wasn't sure, as he read over Courtney's note over 54 times that hour. Pausing every time to stare at the last two words.

_We're done._

_Just like that? After everything? _The teenage boy crumpled the note up in his fist and shoved it in his shorts pocket.

It couldn't end like this. Not like this. He wouldn't let it._

* * *

_"What does he mean he's going to follow Courtney home?!" Chris shouted out to no one in particular as he read the text message he had just received.

"What the matter with you, Dude?" Geoff leaned over Chris' shoulder, who was sitting in the Dining Hall while waiting for Chef to come to Craft Services with him.

Chris handed the Party Boy his top of the line I-Phone reluctantly, and his blue eyes looked over the message.

_How could you just let Courtney leave?! Not cool, Chris!_

_I'm gonna follow her. Somehow._

_-Duncan_

"Man, you better start explaining." DJ ordered, as the rest of the Campers filed in for lunch. Excluding Heather, of course.

"What? I didn't do anything. Courtney phoned and said she wanted out of the competition, and that she wouldn't sue me if I let her go home... so," Chris shrugged. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Well what about Duncan? Did they have an argument or something?" Bridgette leaned over the table and skimmed the text.

"It must of been pretty big for Courtney to just walk out." Trent replied.

"And, it's obviously Duncan's fault." Gwen finished with a shake of her head.

Izzy jumped onto the Killer Bass table and punched her hand into the air with enthusiasm. "Guys! You gotta have faith in him! He'll fix whatever it is he broke! Or my name isn't Wilma The Great!"

"Uh, your name isn't Wilma." Harold pointed out.

"I _know,_" She insisted. "It's Wilma _The Great!_ Weren't you listening?"

"Crazy Girl is right." Everyone turned toward the open door to see Heather climbing the wooden stairs with some crutches, "I mean, not about the Wilma thing, I mean about the Duncan thing." Once the now-bald female reached the top of the stairs, her expression turned into a murderous glare when she spotted Gwen. The obvious culprit to have shaved her head.

"Nice scalp, Heather." Gwen smirked, and the other Campers snickered.

"Oh, you guys think you're so funny. But just wait till I win Total Drama Island; you'll all nothing but _losers!_ And another thing- AH!" She shrieked in surprise as Owen accidentally bumped into her on his mad dash through the small door way, and she fell back down the stairs with a painful clunking sound as her head smacked against each step.

"Oops! Sorry." He grinned sheepishly before marching into the Cafeteria like-cabin.

"What'd I miss? Hopefully not Lunch."

* * *

Okay, so if he remembered correctly, Courtney lived in Manitoba. But then again, Duncan wasn't completely sure if that was fact or fiction. But one thing was for sure, the skull shirted punk was kicking himself for not arriving sooner and catching her before she left, so he could straighten this all out without having to chase her around the globe.

Duncan impatiently tapped his finger against the steering wheel of the car he'd gotten from Chris. Traffic was terrible, and it wasn't even noon yet.

"Come on, move it!" Duncan shouted, as he honked his horn at the cars in front of him.

_Winnipeg! Right, that's where she lives. _ The teal-eyed boy smiled but continued to honk his horn. He had a while drive ahead of him.

* * *

"Oh sweetie, It's so good to see you!" The way Courtney's Mother greeted her, as if she was a good friend instead of her only daughter, hurt just a little. But Courtney had grown very good at hiding things like that. And at that moment, she felt the emotional mask that had taken a leave of absence while with Duncan, slip into place.

"Hi, Mom." She forced out a calm and collected smile, before her Mom pressed her silver cell phone to her ear and began talking animatedly to one of her friends.

Courtney stifled a sigh. That was obviously her cue to leave.

She passed her Father's study on her way to her bedroom, and wondered for a moment if she should say hello. Deciding her Father was probably too busy with business to see her at the moment, she slipped into her bedroom.

Her whole room just screamed 'mature'. No pink or stuffed animals, no lace or fluff. Her walls were a dark plum purple with a black iron wrought bed, with a white duvet blanket with pillows the same purple as her walls.

A simple black desk was sitting in the corner of her room, with her laptop and a book shelf beside it.

Everything felt so... foreign to her, now.

This room, her life, her parents.

It's like Duncan had managed to open her eyes, and see the world in a different perspective.

But shaking her head, Courtney flopped down onto her comforter and buried her head in a pillow. He didn't matter anymore. This was her life, and he wasn't a part of it.

And the wooden skull in her pocket, seemed like it weighed a millions pounds.

* * *

The rain was pouring heavily as Duncan drove down the street Chris had told him was Courtney's street.

"Okay, so... 1632..." He mumbled to himself, squinting at the golden numbers on the sides of the houses in the darkness.

After driving for a few more minutes, he came across the house at the end of the street with the numbers that matched the ones Chris had given him.

Taking a deep breath, he parked the car and climbed out, focusing on the light that poured from the small balcony of the room out front. He guessed it was Courtney's as he could see a vaguely female silhouette behind the curtains.

_Well, time to get the groveling over with._ Duncan thought with a grimace, before picking up a tiny rock and chucking it against her window. He was extremely glad that it was night, and no one was outside to witness his cliché actions.

Courtney pulled her curtains open and stepped out onto the balcony. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the thrower of the pebbles.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I came to apologize, Princess."

Courtney felt like she just got slapped in the face. "_Apologize?_ Are you fucking _kidding_ me! Apology not accept!"

Duncan frowned, all of his hard work... gone. That mask of bitterness and anger clouded her expression, and she had actually cursed, after all the times she'd told him not to. She was obviously much more hurt than he had originally assumed, and that made him feel worse.

_Babe, I'm so sorry._ He couldn't get the words out, they just wouldn't leave his mouth.

"Hey," He said suddenly, glancing up at her. "Do you remember, back at Camp, when you used to sing in the shower, but only when you knew I was standing outside the door?"

Courtney wrinkled up her nose, as if in disgust. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Duncan sighed and ran a hand over his face to wipe away the rain water that streamed down it before saying, "Only for you, Babe. I'd only do this for you." Then, he began to sing. "Check yes Juliet, are you with me?" He held his hand up to her with a grin as she started to giggle. "Rain is falling down on the sidewalk." He gestured with his other hand toward the dark rain clouds above them. "I won't go, until you come outside." He dropped his hands and smiled up at her again.

She laughed a bit harder before she choked out, "I can't take anymore! Ju-Just stop!"

His cheeks were pink with embaressment and humilation, but just seeing her laugh like that made his heart feel warm. No matter how incredibly cheesy that sounded.

"Duncan, that was incredibly lame. But... thanks." She smiled and leaned forward to prop her arms up against the railing of the balcony. "Wanna come up?"

He chuckled. "Should I climb the balcony or just use the front door?" Inside, he was cheering. She'd seemed to forgiven him, and he wanted nothing more than to just hold her to his chest and tell her over and over how much he loved her.

"Oh, you gotta climb the balcony, duh. Complete the cliché."

With a roll of his eyes, he climbed up fairly easily, and wrapped his arms around her once he reached the top. "I'm so sorry I hurt you." He buried his face in her sweet smelling hair and held her tighter.

"Why did you kiss her, Duncan?" Courtney's voice was a just a muffled whisper as she rested her cheek against his soaked chest.

"_She_ kissed _me_. Simon staged the whole thing." He mumbled into her mocha-colored hair, and was slightly disappointed when she pushed him away.

"Simon, Really?" The CIT gave him a _you're not serious, _expression.

"I'm not kidding, Court."

"He's _ten. _He's not exactly a mastermind." She rolled her onyx eyes, but Duncan just smirked.

"He's ten and a half. But thanks to me, he's probably still stuck in that closet with the boom box."

"Wait, what?" Courtney raised an eyebrow.

* * *

"L-Let me out of here!" Simon wailed, huddled together in the farthest corner of the locked broom closet while a hidden CD player played horror movie-type sounds. As if people were getting slaughtered right outside the door, there was screaming, and Duncan even recorded his own voice whispering _"Simon... you're next."_ every one in a while.

* * *

"Duncan, that's terrible." Courtney said once they were standing in the kitchen, sipping at some hot chocolate.

"He tried to break us up, Darling. He's lucky I didn't beat the shit out of him." Duncan felt a flicker of anger shoot through him at even the mention of the fact that he had managed to successfully break them apart.

"Language." Courtney scolded with a half hearted smile.

Duncan rolled his teal eyes, but smiled back at her. When a thought suddenly struck him,

"Babe, we let a child break us up. ...I mean, if that's all it takes to tears us apart-"

"I was thinking the same thing." The girl in front of him interrupted, and set her mug onto the counter top. "Is this relationship really going to work out?" She finished the end of his sentence.

Duncan didn't answer, he just started down at the brown liquid in his cup, thinking things over.

"Well..." He said after a long stretch of silence. "I want it to work. If I didn't, do you really think I would of drove all the way out here?" the punk looked up to smile at her, and she moved around the island in the middle of the kitchen, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I want it to work, too." She whispered, pushing her face against his side.

"Then we'll just have to make it work." Duncan wrapped his arms around the brunette's waist and held her there for a moment.

"You know... I don't see either of your parent's home..." He smirked suggestively, and Courtney pulled away from him and huffed.

"You just had to ruin the moment, didn't you?" She put her hands on her hips with that same old fiery scowl in place.

Duncan smirked and pinned her up against the island and leaned down to take her neck in his lips and suck on it.

"You so... don't play fair..." Courtney moaned lightly.

"Never said I did, Princess. Never said I did."

* * *

**AN: Don't worry, the story isn't over yet. And hey, I may make a sequal to this when I do finish. ;) I got a few plans up my sleeve, so stay tuned! And remember to review~**


	17. Coming Back

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: Anyone getting sick of this fanfic yet?

* * *

**Courtney rolled over in her large, queen sized bed, feeling groggy and exhausted. But more than that, she felt... sore.

Her eyes widened as she took in her sheet covered form, then the naked form of the boy next to her.

The former night's events came rushing back to her, and Courtney couldn't stop the blush that painted her cheeks scarlet.

_Wow,_ she and Duncan had really... done _it. _In her bed. While her Parents were asleep in the room _right next door._

_Thank god for my sound proof walls and lock on my door.  
_

"Babe? You up?" Duncan's voice made her jump in surprise, and her blush darken farther. The brunette felt her vocal cords begin to tighten up, canceling her ability to speak.

"You okay?" He sat up and ran a hand through his tousled hair, before taking Courtney's face in his hands, and turning her head to look him in the eyes.

"Courtney," His voice was soft and gentle, and very understanding. "Breathe. It's okay." He moved one hand from her cheek to rub small circles on her back, and she took a deep breath.

"Sorry, I-"

"It's fine." The boy cut her off with a still gentle smile. "I know you're feeling a bit overwhelmed. But I want you to know, that I love you, Princess." He kissed her lips once, then climbed out of bed in search of his clothes.

The CIT smiled. _I have no regrets.

* * *

_

_"Jeez, _Duncan, why'd you have to run off?" Chris groaned, still frantically sending text message after text message to the aforementioned teenage boy, who hadn't replied back since last night when he said, _"I'm at Courtney's house. Wish me luck."_

"Still no reply?" Bridgette asked the stressed out host, who was sitting at the Killer Bass table with the rest of the team.

"No! Nothing! Ugh, I am so getting fired from this gig." Chris whined, smacking his head against the table, and Bridgette patted his back in a good natured way.

"Miss Wilma The Great has something to say!" Izzy declared, hopping up onto the Gopher table and clearing her throat, all the Campers looked at her, but Chef glared at her through the kitchen window.

"Girl's crazy. She can't be trusted." Chef muttered to himself while _Wilma_ began speaking.

"WTG says; we must continue this game, before the Summer is over!"

The Campers exchanged looks and mumbles of agreement, before looking at the crazy redhead again.

"But we can't do that. If we start filming again, people will start questioning where Duncan and Courtney are. Then her parents will find out what happened to her, then Duncan's parents will find out that he left the show without me telling them, and then I'll be sued **AND** arrested!" Chris shouted in one big, long, panicked breath.

"Well, we have to do something. I can't stand just being around these losers." Heather scoffed, while munching at Chef's crappy breakfest food.

"Listen here, Missy. If you want something to do," Chef stormed out of the kitchen, and plopped a big bag of unpeeled potatoes on the table in front of her. "Get peeling!"

The other teenagers tried to hold back their laughter.

* * *

After Duncan and Courtney had both taken a shower in her bathroom, -Duncan had wanted to take one together, but Courtney hastily shot the idea down- they were laying on her bare bed, -Since the girl had stripped the bed of the sheets as soon as she and Duncan awoke, and shoved them in the washer- and were just basking in each others company.

"I feel so exhausted." The mocha-skinned female yawned for the umpteenth time that morning.

"Yep, sex will do that to you." Her boyfriend's shameless reply caused her cheeks to turn pink in embarrassment, and made him laugh.

"Damn, Sweetheart. You need to get out more. If even the word makes you blush, you're going to be doing that a lot with me around."

Courtney opened her mouth to reply, when a sudden knock on her door stopped her.

"Courtney? Can I speak with you?" It was her father's voice, and Courtney was silently having a meltdown. She should of known her Parent's would come in sooner or later. She thanked god again for remembering to lock her door the night before.

Courtney looked at Duncan, then pointed toward the balcony, and she shoved the french doors that led out to it, open.

Duncan slid off the bed and walked out onto it after her.

"Can you make the jump?" Courtney whispered, glancing at the distance between her bedroom balcony and the ground below.

"Your lack of faith in me is kind of insulting. After all, I climbed up, didn't I?" Duncan gave her a wink, and she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"When will I see you again?" She bit at her lower lip in an adorable, but nervous way, and the juvenile delinquent chuckled lightly.

"Princess, you're acting as if I'm never coming back or something."

_That was preposterous, as if I could live without seeing my Princess. Oh god, she's already rubbing off on me. When the fuck did I learn the word preposterous? _The teenage boy's train of thought was broken when his girlfriend spoke again._  
_

"But you're going back to the Island aren't you?" The frown on her face made Duncan frown, too. He hated it when she was sad, and he hated it even more that he was the one causing this sadness.

"I kind of have a contract with Chris, and I don't need to give my parent's another reason to wanna throw me in Prison." He joked, hoping it would it make her smile. It worked, though only briefly.

"But..." The 16 year old girl continued to munch on her lip nervously, and Duncan pulled her close, and began rubbing circles on her back like he did that morning.

"Don't worry so much, Honey. I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a moron." The teal eyed boy leaned closer to her, and rested his cheek against the side of her head.

"I know what you're thinking," He began in a whisper. "you think I was just gonna screw you then run, right?"

Courtney didn't answer, but he could practically feel the guilt radiating off her. Though he didn't feel angry, or even the slightest bit upset.

"Like I said this morning, Courtney; I love you _so_ much. And I would never _ever _do that to you." He continued to murmur into her hair, and rub soothing circles on the small of her back. "And, just between you and me," he moved backward so he could look into her eyes, and grinned. "I loved every second of last night."

The CIT's face turned bright red with chagrin, and Duncan smirked. He swiftly pecked her lips then hopped of the balcony with ease.

"When I win the hundred thousand, I'll come back for you!" He shouted, before hopping into his car and watching as Courtney smiled with a bitter-sweet expression.

_I'll come back. I promise.

* * *

_

**AN:** **Kind of a short chapter this time. But Duncan is on his way back to Total Drama Island, woo! And yep, Duncan... uh... in a term that makes me shudder, 'popped Courtney's cherry.' -Shudder- yep, I just died a little inside. And probably won't be eating cherries for a while. Any who, hope you liked the little bit of fluff this time around. :) Duncan can be such a sweetie. I figured I should add it, since he wont be seeing his girl for a while, but we'll be checking in with her regularly. Until next time, review~ **_  
_


	18. More Lies

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

"Courtney? Come out here, please." Her Father's voice made her jump, as she was still standing on the balcony, just staring off at the space where Duncan's car used to be.

Half stumbling, she shut the doors out to the deck and turned the lock on her bedroom door, before flinging it open.

"Yes, Daddy?" Courtney put on her best and most composed smile as she took in her Father's stern expression.

"May I ask who's car was parked by our house last night?" Her Father had a voice that would make anyone cringe in fear, as he was extremely tall and well rounded, with dark piercing eyes and tanned skin like her own. Seemingly the most intimidating male on the planet; but he was a big softy underneath who wanted nothing more than his daughter to be happy. Well, as long as it was good for her, too.

So her dating Duncan, no matter how happy _she _was, her Dad would undoubtedly blow a blood vessel.

The teenage girl tapped her index finger against her cheek as she pretended to think about her Father's question.

Okay, so this could go two ways;

One, she could lie, and have the possibility of him not believing her and also possibly sending her to boarding school or boot camp or something once he found out the truth. As if TDI hadn't been torture enough; minus one mowhawk wearing exception, of course.

Or two, she could just straight out tell him the truth, and skip the lying and deceit.

_Sure, _She inwardly grimaced. _Daddy, you know that boy from Total Drama Island? The bad boy? Yeah, he snuck over to our house last night and we had sex right here in my bedroom!_

The truth, was defenitly not a reasonable course of action to take. Not if Courtney wanted Duncan to live, and herself not to be shipped away somewhere.

"I'm not sure, Daddy. Maybe it was just one of the neighbour's friends who parked a little close to our house." The uptight Princess was almost surprised at how easily the lie rolled off her tongue, since she very rarely lied to her Parents. Maybe Duncan was rubbing off on her?

"No, that can't be it. Both the Robeson's and the Linell's are still on their Summer vacations." Courtney's body frozen up subtly.

Crap. She had forgotten about that fact.

"Well, I'm not sure." She shrugged, she could feel her vocal cords tighten up again our of sheer panic. She was doomed, and she was just digging herself a deeper hole.

Her Father didn't look convinced, and was about to press the issue farther, but the shrill sound of his phone ringing in his large study kept him from saying anything more than, "We'll talk about this later, Courtney." before he disappeared behind the large oak door that housed his study room.

_Okay. First thing's first._ The mocha-haired 16 year old shut her door, then rushed over to the night stand next to her bed. Though she winced at how the quick movement irritated the bruises she had seen on her hips while in the shower that morning. Of course, Duncan had saw them, too, and apologized profusely. But in retrospect, the bruises were just a small price to pay for what she experienced last night. She'd take the trade any day.

She snatched her cell off the night stand and punched in a number before shoving the phone to her ear.

_Duncan better have a plan, because I got nothing.

* * *

_

Duncan parked the borrow car of outside the Hospital_, _where Chris had said he would come pick him up with the Helicopter.

His phone vibrated in his shorts pocket, and the boy knew who it was without even glancing at the caller ID.

"Princess, take a nice, deep breath, okay?" He murmured into the phone, and heard her take in a little breath, then let it out. "That's my girl."

"Duncan, what am I supposed to tell my Parents? They saw your car and- and-" She almost seemed to be hyperventilating now. It was so strange, picturing the most collected girl in the world, all frazzled and panicked.

"Court, just calm down." He ordered gently, then continued when he heard her making a calmed _mmhm_, sound. "Everything will be fine. Just tell your Parent's the half truth. That you had a friend over, make something up. Say... one of your girlfriend's just broke up with her boyfriend and that she needed you, so she just randomly showed up."

Inside, the skull-shirted teenager was smirking. Some parts of that story were true; he and Courtney _had_ broken up, he _did_ stay over, and he had _needed_ her. Just not in the way she was telling her Parents.

"You think that will work?" His Princess asked, and he could practically hear her chewing on her lower lip out of nervousness, oh god she was just so damn cute.

_Focus._ He scolded himself before replying. "I think so. And if you need me, just text me, Babe. I'm here for you."

He could almost _see _the smile he was sure lit up her face at his words. "Thank you, Duncan."

"No problem, Princess. Oh, I think I see the Helicopter, I gotta run. But just stay calm, remember what I told you to say, and I'll be with you in spirit." Okay, so that last part was the cheesiest thing ever, but he was still tired from last night, so his brain was completely awake yet.

She thanked him again, and then added, "I love you."

He smiled. He loved to hear those words come out of her mouth. "Love you, too."

* * *

"So Lisa came over last night? Because she and Andrew broke up?" Courtney's petite Mother frowned, setting a plate of eggs and toast in front of the teenager.

"Yeah. She was so upset." Courtney mumbled before taking a bite of her toast.

"I knew your Father was just being paranoid. He acts as if you're gonna start rebelling any day, now." Her brunette Mother shook her head in disbelief, and Courtney just smiled fakely.

"As if."

* * *

"Dude!" Geoff gave Duncan a fist bump once he stepped out of the Helicopter and grinned at the people who came to greet him.

"So, you gotta tell us what happened!" Owen was jumping up and down like a kid on Christmas morning, which shook the ground around him.

"Easy, big guy." Duncan put a hand on the blonde's shoulder, then with click of his tongue, he shouted. "What happened off the Island, stays off the Island."

The teenage group groaned in disappointment, but it didn't phase Duncan. He was about to walk to his Cabin and get some shut eye, when he spotted Heather not to far away, struggling to stay up right with only one crutch.

"Whoa. What did you guys _do_?" He had to admit, she looked terrible, and _bald. _He didn't know the other Campers had it in them. He was quite impressed, to say the least.

"Beat her with some baseball bats, shave her head, and let a bear maul her." Gwen replied, smirking as the bad boy laughed.

"Nice, bra." He gave her a fist bump too, before walking up to his Cabin- though he made sure to kick Heather's crutch out from her as he walked past, and sent her crashing into the grass- and realizing he was in the girl's side of it.

The Killer Bass Cabin just didn't seem complete without his girlfriend in it. It seemed... almost sad.

But with a shrug, Duncan climbed into Courtney's bunk and lowered his head down onto her pillow.

Yep, it still smelt like her.

That fact alone, allowed him to fall into a light sleep full of dreams of his Princess.

* * *

**AN: So Duncan is finally back at Camp! And I have a few tricks up my sleeve, I can assure you that. :) So until next time, review~**


	19. Games

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: YOU MAY WANNA READ THIS. This chapter isn't an ordinary chapter. I'm bringing a special chapter here today-Or tonight, depending where you are and what time you're reading this- it's sort of a look back at chapter 16. What lead up to Duncan and Courtney having sex? Well, in this chapter, you may just find out. ;)  


* * *

**

"You so... don't play fair..." Courtney moaned lightly.

"Never said I did, Princess. Never said I did."

With a roll of her eyes, the female gently pushed him away, and returned to her cup of hot chocolate.

"_Courtneeyyyyy,_" Duncan whined, with an adorable pout on his face. He was disappointed that she'd left his arms, and the torture he had been afflicting on her neck. Needless to say, there was currently a bright red hickey on her gorgeous tanned skin, one that he was not planning to tell her about. He wanted to wait and see her reaction when she happened to pass by a mirror and notice it.

After taking a long sip of her cocoa, the mocha skinned girl set her mug down and gave him a devious grin.

"If you want me so bad, just come and get me." She challenged, and that was all it took for an equally as mischievous smirk to light up the boy's face.

"Are you sure, Princess? Because once you start this game, we both know how it's gonna go down." Though that was an empty threat. If once the score was decided at the end of this little game, and she didn't want to accept her fate, he wouldn't force himself on her. No way. Not way in _hell _would he do that to her. But he was completely certain that he would win, even if he didn't get his prize, he would still win at all costs. If, for no other reason, then to rub it in her face afterwards.

She scoffed, and gave him a flirty wink. "Bring it on."

Those three little words, were what struck a match inside Duncan, bringing his playful and competitive side out. With a sinful look in his eyes, he hopped right over the Kitchen Island with ease. Though Courtney was one step ahead of him, mentally and literally.

She stepped to the side as he lunged playfully toward her, and he was mildly surprised at how she seemed just as swift as he was, though he had a bit of an advantage. He had Courtney moving backward, so she had no way of knowing the stainless steel fridge was directly behind her now. But he smirked in approval as she swerved at the last second to avoid smacking into the fridge.

"Come on, Babe, you aren't making this very hard for me." The teal-eyed boy grinned as he saw her familiar scowl fall into place. There was no way she could possibly win; he was the hunter, and she way just his prey. And last time Duncan had checked, he never heard of a Fawn winning against a Man.

"You know, you could just give up now, and I promise to make the experience the most pleasurable thing you'll ever go through." Duncan purred, and Courtney's face flushed a deep red.

"S-Shut up! You aren't going to be winning!" The blushing teenager assured him, but was too busy paying attention to the pierced boy in front of her to realize she was backing right into the arm of the couch.

"Ah!" Courtney gasped in surprise as she fell backward onto leather sofa, the arm having hit her right in the back of the legs.

Duncan laughed, and he was suddenly laying on top of her, a superior smirk on his face. Oh, how that smirk was irking the hell out of her. Time for plan B.

"Well, looks like you pinned me." She glared up at his hands that pinned hers above her head.

_Is Princess admitting defeat? Ha! Yeah, right. Next, Heather will start being nice, and Chris will stop being such a narcissist._ Duncan thought to himself, and held back a smirk as he decide to tease Courtney just a little while they were in this position.

He was pleased with himself when he saw her eyes flutter closed, and her lips part just a little as if she were going to moan again. The brunette had felt a weird rush of electricity ran through her boy when he put just a tiny bit of his weight on her, so her breasts pressed up against his chest.

**_No, no, no. Focus, Courtney! Your raging hormones are making you lose sight of the bigger picture!_** **_You must not let him win!_** The little voice inside of her head scolded her, and thankfully, cleared her head.

"Duncan," Courtney opened her onyx eyes to bat them at the boy innocently, which was immediately a warning sign.

"Yes, Princess?" He replied warily.

"You're terrible at this game." Duncan let out a wail as Courtney's knee collied with his kiwi's, though not as hard as normal, just enough to get him to roll off the couch, just like she planned.

The Delinquent groaned as he clutched his crotch in pain, while the freckled female giggle and disappeared down the hallway.

Did the Fawn just outsmart the Hunter?

* * *

Courtney ducked down one of the many hallway's in her large home, and wondered if Duncan was even off the living room floor yet.

"Princess, where are you?" She heard Duncan call in a sing-song voice, as if he was an axe murderer instead of her boyfriend. And honestly, did he expect her to call back to him? Why did people even do that in movies? When someone asks _'Who's there?!'_ do you really expecting the person to answer you back? It made no sense!

Shaking her head, Courtney dashed into one of the guest rooms, and dove under the bed.

Okay, so, it wasn't the most creative hiding spot ever. But she was fairly short on options, and that room just happened to be the closest.

It was silent for a few moments, but then she heard Duncan shout, "Court? A car just pulled into the driveway!"

She gasped, and quickly scurried out from her hiding spot.

Rushing down the stairs, the former CIT was caught completely off guard when Duncan suddenly grabbed her by the hips and swung her around to pin her up against the wall.

"Gotcha." He whispered into her ear, before pecking her neck lightly.

Managing to both knock the wind out of her, and totally aggravate her at the same time, Courtney settled on glaring at him as he smirked triumphantly.

"Does this mean you win?" She asked reluctantly.

"Well, you have no means of escaping, so yes, I believe it does." His smirk widened, ugh, as if the boy needed his ego added to.

"I knew I should of just shoved you in a closet. _You _wouldn't of been able to escape, so I would of won." She mumbled angrily.

Duncan had his legs tangled up with hers now, -to keep her knees pinned against the wall in order to keep her from sacking him again, she was sure- and the feeling of it all caused a blush to flood her cheeks, and she hated that.

Duncan made a small _'hmmm'_ sound, and then removed one hand from Courtney's hip, and brushed his fingers along her cheek instead.

"Well, can I claim my prize, Beautiful?" He grinned, and more blood pooled in her cheeks. What had she gotten herself into?

**_Come on, Court! Say something! Don't just stand there and blush like an idiot!_** Her obnoxiously loud voice in her head was shouting at her.

"My room's soundproof."

She knew her face had grow even darker in color, but this time out of stupidity and embarrassment at her lack of vocabulary.

"Fantastic." Duncan chuckled, and leaned down to scoop her up bridal style in his arms, and trucked off upstairs to her bedroom.

"But Princess," He started after they had reached her bedroom, and she glanced up at him once the red finally drifted from her face. "I'll make good on my promise."

It took Courtney a second to realize what he meant, but once it did come to her, the blush came back with a vengeance.

_I promise to make the experience the most pleasurable thing you'll ever go through.

* * *

_

**AN: Yup, that's it for now! So what did you think? I loved writing this little chappie, honestly. XD It was just a bit of random fluff I decided to throw in. ;)**_  
_


	20. Back To Our Regular Programming

**_~Her Mask~_**

**

* * *

**It had been a very long and stressful three weeks, now that Total Drama Island was going on again, and the challenges seemed even more life threatening.

Though for Heather, those weeks had been even worse.

_"Aren't you going to get your revenge on me, too?" She had shouted at a certain Delinquent, who has been perched on the steps outside the Killer Bass cabin, one early morning.  
_

_He gave her a smirk. "Maybe."_

_"Maybe?" She narrowed her eyes at him, and his smirk only widened._

So that was his plan, huh? To drive her crazy, because she didn't know when he'd strike, or what he'd do. Well, it was working.

While the former Queen Bee was busy stressing out, two of the Killer Bass boys were busy playing Spy.

Geoff and DJ had gone around, sneaking about the camp out of pure boredom, and spying on their fellow Campers. Geoff even went so far as to hum the Mission Impossible theme under his breath while they moved.

They'd spied on Harold, who they saw practicing kissing on the mirror, _that _was quite disturbing to watch, to say the least.

On Gwen, who sings to herself when she thinks she's alone, and actually has a wonderful voice.

On Owen, Trent, and LeShawna, who while playing a game of Truth-Or-Dare, admitted they had all played with dolls when they were kids.

And while paying attention to a certain male Bass member, they noticed a few different little quirks about the Bad Boy. They were little things normal people wouldn't notice, unless paying exteremly close attention, which his two friends were.

You could tell when Duncan was missing his girl, because he'd start fidgeting just slightly; like he yearned to just go back to her and hold her in his arms, which, was probably the case. And whenever someone mentioned her name, you could see a hint of almost worry or concern in his teal eyes. DJ had to explain to Geoff that the change of emotion was probably because he was worried about Courtney getting herself hurt while he was away. Geoff still didn't understand. Not because he didn't get the what DJ was telling him, but because it was _Courtney _they were talking about. Now, she wasn't exactly Eva strong, but she could definitely hold her own. She didn't need Duncan's constant protection. And finally, it seemed Duncan had managed to gain a new level of hate for Chris, even since he'd taken away his cell phone on his second day back at Camp. The boys would bet money that their friend was planning an untimely death for the show host, and were waiting for him to strike.

Adding together all of those new found irregularities, the Loveable Jock and the Party Boy came to a quick conclusion that he was definitely depressed. He hid it well, behind his usual tough exterior, but there were moments where you could faintly see his facade crack, and reveal the sadness and longing that he felt. Of course, both boys had told him if he needed to talk, they were there, but he'd just snorted in amusement. As if that would happen.

And back at her home, Courtney was feeling the exact same way.

* * *

"Courtney, we're leaving now." Her Father shouted up the stairs, though the only reply he got was the sound of silence.

With a sigh, Courtney's Mother and Father both left the house, on their way to work. Courtney had been very quiet over the past week, and spent most of her time in her bedroom, very rarely did she leave for a long period of time.

"Duncan, why won't you answer my texts?" The aforementioned female mumbled to herself, laying on her queen sized bed, and staring at her phone with glassy eyes. Okay, so maybe getting all worked up like this was totally stupid, but the girl hadn't been feeling _right _lately. And dammit, Duncan said he'd be there for her when she needed him!

Taking a deep breath, she tossed her cell away from her, and rolled over so she was now laying on her back.

Blinking away the annoying tears, she wondered how he was doing in the competition back at Lake Wawanakwa. Duncan had probably got his cell taken away, which is why he didn't answer her texts. With a flushed complexion, Courtney was semi glad he wasn't in possession of his phone at the moment. If he saw all the texts she had let, he would probably think she was becoming very... _clingy._

And after that thought, the rest of them were nothing but a jumbled mess of panic, with Heather's words from long ago repeating themselves in her mind.

_"Besides, it's not like he wanted anything more from you than to just get in your pants."_

That very fear had been on the brunette's mind the night after Duncan had succeeded in getting into her pants. Even though he had assured her over and over that he loved her, and wasn't planning on ditching her the moment he got his way, the fear just kept gnawing at her insides without the slightest bit of mercy. Maybe she was just overly insecure at the moment, but she wasn't used to feeling this... vulnerable, in the first place.

While nibbling at her lower lip, -a usual nervous habit for her- she just stared at the ceiling. Inside, she was begging the gods to selfishly get Duncan kicked off so he could come back to her.

_**If he wants to in the first place. **_Her usually optimistic and reasonable voice whispered in her ear. **_Maybe he found someone new, already. _**The voice continued ruthlessly.

Courtney bit her lip a little harder, while the voice continued to speak in her ear.

* * *

"Dude, if you wanna talk-"

"Geoff, I've already told you, I don't wanna talk." Duncan snapped, his patients even thinner than usual.

"Okay, okay." Geoff raised his hands in defense, but still continued to smile like Duncan said nothing at all.

"We know you miss her, Man. It's okay to let it out and talk about it." DJ added. Both boys had managed to corner Duncan in their cabin, while the others were outside doing whatever it was they did on challenge free days.

"I don't _want _to talk about it, and I wish you guys would just butt out!" The stubborn Juvenile Delinquent growled at his persistent friends.

They both spoke in unison, with they same understanding tone. "Duncan..."

With an exasperated sigh, Duncan threw his arms up in the air. "Okay! I miss her. I miss her so much it hurts. It's only been a couple weeks and I feel like my heart's been ripped out of my chest." He acted as if he was admitting some embarrassing weakness, instead of something perfectly normal. Something that happened to everyone who was in love, and was separated from their beloved person.

"Go on." DJ pressed, touched by romantic feeling of his words.

With a small smile, Duncan continued. "I miss the way she rolls her eyes at me when I say something stupid, I miss the way her face lights up when I call her Princess, and how she looks almost upset when I don't. I miss her use of little words I hardly understand, and her use of big words I don't understand at all." At that, the Party Boy and Jock chuckled. "I miss her eyes, and smile, and the smell of her hair, and the feel of it on my fingers. I even miss the way she hated when I left the toilet seat up in her bathroom, and yelled at me for it! I miss her so bad." He finished, staring down at his hands.

"T-That has the be t-the most beautiful t-thing I've ever heard!" Chris sobbed, suddenly standing by the now open door of the Bass cabin.

Duncan's face went red, with both embarrassment and anger.

"You tell anyone any of this, and I'll bury you so far in the ground, they won't be able to find your body." Duncan threatened, narrowing his eyes at the self-absorbed man, who stopped fake sobbing and merely grinned in return.

"No worries, Dude. But seriously, that was totally touching." He spun around to face a camera man behind him. "You get all that?" the man nodded, giving Chris a thumbs up.

DJ and Geoff didn't bother to hold Duncan back as he raced for the camera guy, but Chef was suddenly there, grabbing the angry sixteen year old by the back of the shirt.

"Listen here you maggot." Chef spat, glaring down him. "If you hadn't wanted to be tortured, you shouldn't of signed up for this show!"

"I never wanted to sign up for this! My Parent's said I should, said it would be good for me, and maybe I'd win some cash! And if it weren't for meeting Princess, I would of left the first day!"

Chris, now ignoring the Delinquent's ranting, shot a wink at the camera man, who nodded and left without another word.

_Ah, Duncan. You gotta learn to watch what you say. You know how these shows can twist your words around..._ Chris smirked, while watching the teal-eyed boy struggle.

* * *

**AN: Dun dun dunnnnn! What's Chris planning? Nothing good, I assure you. Though he doesn't do what he does because he's evil, he just does it for ratings. ...Okay, and because he's evil. So tell me what you thought, stay tuned, and review~**


	21. Before The Drama

**_~Her Mask~

* * *

_**

_"Courtney..." Duncan ran his hand up her bare thigh, and the aforementioned girl moaned in response. This was even better then the first time..._

_The boy leaned in and kissed her, and the brunette happily kissed him back._

_He moved his lips from hers, and placed them on the top of her head and murmured,"Courtney, Honey,"_

_The girl tried to open her mouth to reply, but all that came out was another moan as his hand slid higher up her thigh._

_"Courtney!"_

With a startling jolt, the girl rolled out of bed and hit the ground with a thunk.

Dazed, confused, and currently blushing like crazy, Courtney looked up at her Father who was staring down at her with a frown on his face.

"Uh, good morning, Daddy." She cast him a small smile, but was too afraid to stand up, her legs still felt like jelly after the dream she had just had.

"I think we need to talk."

* * *

Sitting in front of a bunch of monitors the next morning, Chris began editing past week's episode into a twenty-five minute program. While grinning, he made sure to add in Duncan's mushy confession, though took extra care to move the boy's words around a little, knowing it would cause major drama, and drama meant high ratings!

Once he was satisfied with the result, Chris finished up, and began getting ready to get the episode aired.

In the Killer Bass Cabin, Duncan was still fuming on his bunk. Chris was such an ass!

"Chris is such an ass!" Duncan exclaimed out loud, glaring up at the ceiling, and his friends gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Come on, Dude. He probably won't even air it." DJ said comfortingly.

"Yeah, I bet he just taped it for kicks." Geoff threw in.

"But if he _does _air it, everyone is gonna know your just a big mush ball." Duncan's head snapped up as he noticed Gwen leaning up against the door frame with a smirk.

Narrowing his eyes, the teal-eyed boy jumped off his bunk bed. "You heard it too?"

"Your mushy confession about how much you miss Courtney? Heck yes." She smiled.

The Bad Boy groaned and ran a hand through his mowhawk, and the Goth girl gabbed a finger out of the cabin.

"I just saw Chris a few minutes ago, carrying a disk. It's probably got the footage of this week's episode on it."

That was all the explanation Duncan needed, and he was out the door before Geoff, Gwen, or DJ could get another word in.

* * *

She doesn't understand him, his words seem mash together until they're nothing but a buzz of sounds.

But she understood enough, enough for her mind to stop working, and shut down.

_"I know what really happened, Courtney. You and that... delinquent, are never to meet again. Do you hear me? If he comes within fifty yards of you..."_

That's when his words begin to fall upon deaf ears. She knows the how the sentence will end, and how _Duncan _will end, if he gets near her. Still, she wants to yell at her Father, to tell him that he doesn't understand Duncan at all. That he doesn't understand _her_ at all. But her lips won't form the words, so she just sits there, staring up at her Parental unit, until he finally pauses an takes a breath.

_"I will not have him screwing up your life, Courtney."_ Are his final words before he retreats to his study, leaving a frozen Daughter behind.

* * *

"Come on, Dude! Get of me!" Chris whined as Duncan continued to sit on the Host's back, effectively pinning him to the ground.

"Not until you give me the DVD." The teal eyed boy repeated, just like he had for the last ten minutes that the sadistic man whined about how the teenager was getting his favourite pair of shorts all dirty.

"Do you know how high this disk will boost ratings?"

"Chris, I could care less about your stupid ratings, now-"

A familiar ring tone sounded from Chris' shorts pocket, and Duncan frowned.

"Why do you have my cell in your pocket?" He asked while fishing it out and flipping it open.

"I was going through your texts." Chris admitted, while not looking the least bit ashamed.

Duncan shot the host a dark glare, before scrolling through the bunches of texts he had. Eighty percent of them were from Courtney, just casual 'l love yous' and 'I miss yous' but he paused at the newest one.

_"You probably wont get this, but I hope you do. 911 emergency."_

Finally getting off of Chris, Duncan dialed Courtney's cell number. A million different thoughts running through his head as it rang, and none of them were good.

"Duncan," Courtney breathed a soft sigh of relief into the phone, and the boy smiled at hearing her voice.

"Whats the emergency? Are you okay?" Even though he sounded extremely calm and collected, he was worrying like crazy inside.

"I'm fine." Despite her words, Duncan heard her voice crack with sadness, and he immediately went into caring, mushy, boyfriend, mode.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"My Dad. He... he found out what happened." The Juvenile Delinquent bit his tongue to hold back sort of growl.

"Go on."

"Basically, he says you can't see me anymore." She finished, and Duncan simply snorted.

"So?"

"Duncan, this isn't a joke. He could-" She suddenly paused, and whispered, "he could _kill_ you."

Duncan was quiet for a moment before he said just as quietly as she did, "I'm not losing you again."

"Duncan-"

"Courtney, _no._ I've seen you dying before me, I've had you tricked by a little kid who almost broke us up, I'm not going to lose you a third time."

"Oh, Duncan..." Courtney couldn't stop the tears that welled up in her eyes.

"Don't worry about your Dad. When the time comes, I can handle myself. Have a little faith in me."

"I do."

"Good. So, have you been having naughty dreams about me, Princess?"

Courtney made a strange little squeak sound, before stuttering, "Y-You couldn't just let a nice moment stay _nice, _could you?"

"Ah ha. It was that bad, hm? Your legs felt weak after? You panties needed to be washed?" He pressed, and he could almost picture the tomato red color her sun kissed skin was turning.

"I'm hanging up now!"

Duncan chuckled. "Only one more month, Darling. Than I can come back and fulfill those dreams."

"You're so infuriating!" She huffed, about to push the END button on her cell phone, before Duncan spoke again.

"Love you too, Babe."

With a roll of her eyes, she muttered a quick, "Yeah, yeah." and hung up.

Across the Island, Chris had just sent the disk out with the episode that would soon be aired.

_Hello, drama._

* * *

**AN: A very short chapter today, just a quick little thing before the real drama begins. So now, Duncan has to worry about Courtney's Father _and _Chris. And Courtney's Dad really isn't evil, he just wants his Daughter to be successful, and he's just going at it the wrong way.**


	22. Complicated

**_~Her Mask~

* * *

_**

It had been a couple days since the phone call she had with Duncan, and Courtney was trying to act as normal as possible, so her Father wouldn't think anything was up. But in reality, the brunette was missing her boyfriend more and more, and those _dreams _came more often than not. Even when she tried to not think of him, her subconscious just wouldn't let her sleep in peace! At this rate, she was gonna go insane.

_Damn you, teenage hormones._ Courtney ground her teeth together in mute frustration as she started up the washer for the forth time that week.

"Courtney, Dear, Total Drama Island is on TV!" She heard her Mother shout downstairs, and the mocha haired female pursed her lips. Maybe _seeing _Duncan would help her cope.

By the time the girl has trucked downstairs, she noticed her Parent's had already left for work, and the TV show must of been at least halfway through the episode. So, shrugging, she sunk down on the leather couch and snuggled in to watch.

Luck seemed to be with her. Just as she fixed her eyes onto the flat screen TV, the camera showed Duncan in the cabin. He didn't seem to realize he was being filmed, while he spoke softly to DJ and Geoff.

Courtney didn't really catch most of it, she knew she should of been listening harder, but she felt a little sick to her stomach. Really sick, actually.

Suddenly, when Courtney listened closer, she could hear Duncan listening off things he... hated about her? What?

_"I hated her use of little words I hardly understand, and hated her use of big words I don't understand at all." _

The former CIT felt confused. What was going _on?_

In a sudden rush of nausea, the girl abandoned the TV and rushed for the nearest bathroom.

A long three minutes of vomiting later, she rested her cheek against the cold porcelain tile and groaned.

What the hell was going on today? Had she fallen into some kind of alternate universe? Or, more likely, she just ate something bad and gotten food poisoning. Though, eating something rotten couldn't explain Duncan's words.

Stomach twisted in knots, she dragged herself into her bedroom and flopped down onto her comforter, before snatching her cell off the end table.

She rolled it around in her fingers. She shouldn't call him for every little thing... but he basically just said he hated everything about her, and _that _hardly went into the category of _little._

_**Like I told you, he's probably found someone else... and he was telling his friends he's over you. A hit and run.**_

Normally, Courtney would of blocked out the stupid voice inside her head, and then felt angry it was even trying to tell her these things. But currently, she just felt too... _exhausted_, to even try and get angry.

Her subconscious plagued her with those dreams, and yet it told her Duncan really didn't want her.

Actually, come to think of it, Duncan and Gwen seemed a lot closer as of late, now that she wasn't around.

She covered her head with one of her pillows and screamed in utter aggravation.

Damn, her life was so freaking complicated!

* * *

"Chris, you better tell me what was on that disk." Duncan growled, but was held back by Chef Hatchet, who didn't even seem to be breaking the tiniest sweat containing the boy.

"Calm down, it was nothing major! I just had some fun with your words to stir up a little drama for the kids back home!" He raised his hands in defense, though was smiling casually.

"What did you make me _say?"_

"Just that you pretty much hate everything about Courtney." He continued to grin like he was talking about a great movie he saw, instead of basically ruining Duncan's life.

"You what?!" The Juvenile Delinquent had managed to break free from the older man's grip, and tackled the fame hungry host.

"Ack! Stop- choking- me!" He coughed out, and Chef reefed the furious teenager off of Chris.

"I can't believe you'd do that!" He shouted, and Chris stood up and brushed himself off.

"I can't believe _you'd _try to kill the host! Let me remind you who it was who brought you and Courtney together in the first place." The narcissist of a man smiled smugly, but Duncan still wanted to whack him one.

"And now you're gonna tare it all down in one episode!" He growled, and his world suddenly stopped. Courtney would probably see the episode, and what would happen then?

"Come on, Man. She's a smart girl-"

"I _know _that already." Duncan interrupted, rolling his eyes.

"She's too smart to believe all the stuff I made you say." Duncan considered this, and thought he was probably right.

"_Unless,_ she does believe it..." Chris looked like he was about to start laughing maniacally, like some evil villain.

Duncan's hands twitched, as if just pleading to start choking the self-absorbed man again. But Chris walked away from Chef and Duncan before he had the chance.

"Look, Maggot," The intimidating Chef said suddenly, setting the mowhawk wearing boy on his feet again. "I'm quite the romantic myself," Duncan tried to keep a snicker from coming out of his mouth. "and what Chris did was extremely wrong. Trying to break you and your girl up just for his damn ratings."

"Your point?" The teal eyed boy crossed his arms over his chest.

"My _point, _is that I'm going to help make sure everything between you and her are okay, got it?!" He shouted in the maggot's face.

"You're gonna help _me?_" He asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Now, let's get a few things straight. I don't like you, and I don't much care of that A-type girlfriend of yours. But darn it, I am a believer in true love!" Chef teared up a little, and sniffed, before continuing. "And that pompous moron isn't gonna take it away from you two!"

More than a little disturbed, Duncan nodded mutely.

"For starters, we have to get that little mag-" The dark glare Duncan sent the cook was strong enough to actually make the man stop speaking, and start over. "That little _Missy,_" Duncan nodded in approval. "Back over here."

He scoffed at the Chef's plan. "Back here? Good luck. Her Father will never let her come back. Hell, he's probably got guns locked and loaded in case I come to her house one day."

"I ain't afraid of nobody!" Duncan decided not to point out the fact that Chef Hatchet had looked actually intimated by the sharp look Duncan had shot him when he tried to call Courtney a maggot. As if Duncan would let him call his girlfriend that.

"So you want to kidnap her, then." Duncan smirked at the idea.

"Bingo."

* * *

**AN: Ah ha! So we find out Chef's a softy underneath, and that Courtney's fears continue to bubble up, along with some other things... Now, lets see if we can get up to 200 reviews this chapter!! :D  
**


	23. Truth

**_~Her Mask~

* * *

_**

"You know how to fly this thing?" Duncan asked in disbelief, as Chef climbed into the driver's side of the racing red helicopter.

"Who the hell, do you think taught Chris?" Was Chef's snarled reply.

Duncan mulled over the cook's words before grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Could you teach _me_ to fly it?"

"Boy, why in the world would you need to know, how to fly a helicopter in the first place- no, on second thought, I don't even wanna know."

The teal eyed boy continued to smile. "You never know when the skill might come in handy."

With a roll of his eyes, Chef started up the helicopter. "Well, don't hold your breath, Maggot."

* * *

Courtney paced around the room anxiously; glancing at the digital clock in the corner of her bedroom, every now and then. It was almost midnight, and her Parent's had gone to sleep nearly two hours ago, leaving Courtney with her thoughts.

Ten more minutes.

The brunette paced until she was certain she was leaving marks in the floor, and by that time, the house was so silent you could hear a pin drop. So when she heard a 'tap tap' on her balcony door, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Babe, it's me. Open up." Duncan's hushed voice would of normally sent a thrill of happiness and excitement through her, but not today. Today it just made her wanna hide under the bed.

But, being the big girl she was, she unlocked the french doors, and smiled when her boyfriend instantly pulled her into a hug.

"There's my girl." He breathed out, kissing her head.

"Dammit, boy. There's no time for a mushy reunion, we gotta move!" Chef's rough voice surprised Courtney.

"Duncan," She pulled out of his hug to stare in his eyes instead. "What the heck is Chef doing here?"

The teal eyed boy laughed lightly. "Hey, I needed someone to drive that thing here." He gestured with his thumb to the faint outline of red in the distance, and mocha haired girl assumed it was the Helicopter.

"Wait, why are you even here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, I just-"

"Princess, what's up with you?" The Bad Boy cut her off.

"What?"

"Somethings the matter. I can see it in your eyes."

_Damn Duncan and his perceptiveness._

"Nothing!" She lied, though her tone sounded too defensive to be convincing.

"Darling..." He was using that,_ don't-make-me-drag-it-out-of-you_ tone of voice.

The so-called Darling put her hands on her hips. She had a million questions she wanted to ask him, too. What was up with that episode a few days ago? And what exactly was his relationship with Gwen?

"Delinquent, Goody-goody, get your butts down here, now!" Chef ordered from down below, interrupting Courtney's train of thought, and causing Duncan to roll his eyes.

"We'll talk later." He finally said, and started climbing over the railing to drop down onto the ground below.

"Wait, Duncan, I-" The brunette leaned over the railing, peering through the darkness to catch a glimpse of her boyfriend below. But the starts and moon were covered by a thick layer of dark clouds, making everything pitch black.

"Jump." Duncan called up, and Courtney tried harder to spot the boy while hissing out, "No! You haven't even told me where we're going or why I'd risk my life jumping off this thing instead of using the stairs inside the house!"

"Dammit, Princess, just jump! Trust me!" His voice shouted from the darkness, though Courtney was worried her Parents might wake up if he yells any longer.

"Fine! But just... just give me a second." Duncan felt a wave of confusion when she ducked back inside her house and came back outside a moment later, empty handed. He had expected to see her with a suite case of clothing or something, but there was nothing with her.

"You'll catch me right?" Courtney asked, snapping the boy out of his confused state.

"Of course." He said without hesitation, but then smirked. "But If I _do _miss-"

"Duncan!" She cut him off with a hiss.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on."

Taking a deep breath, Courtney hopped over the ledge and landed safely in her boyfriend's arms.

"Alright, let's get a move on!" Chef started stomping away, and the former CIT's face wrinkled up in dislike.

"We're taking the Helicopter, back to the Island I'm guessing," Courtney paused, wondering if she should of left some kind of note for her Parents, so they wouldn't think she ran away. But Duncan was already carrying her bridal style toward the Helicopter parked in the distance. "A three hour trip, with _Chef?_"

The Bad Boy chuckled, before giving his Princess a quick peck on the lips.

"Yep. And a fun three hours it'll be."

Rolling her eyes, and demanding he put her down, -Which he replied to with a "Not a chance, Baby Doll."- the brunette tried to forget about the little stick she had thrown in the garbage just before leaving.

The stick that would probably ruin her relationship with Duncan, her Parents, and her life. All thanks to that one, simple, little word, printed on the wretched device.

_Pregnant.

* * *

_

Courtney fidgeted nearly the whole ride there, even with Duncan rubbing circles on her lower back. The word just kept repeating it's self in her mind.

_Pregnant, pregnant, pregnant._

"Princess," He murmured into her hair, since she was sitting on his lap in order to fit into the two seat flying contraption. "Please tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing. I think I just ate something bad the other day, my stomach is kinda upset." Honestly, the female felt guilty for not telling Duncan the truth, but she was... scared.

Duncan didn't buy her lies one bit, and he promised himself that he was gonna find out what was causing her so much grief once they reached the Island.

"Alright, Maggots, we're here." Chef barked, startling the two, who had been almost falling asleep.

Nodding in thanks to Chef, who just made a shooing motion with his hand, the Delinquent slid out of the Helicopter, and helped his girl down. Once their feet were on the ground again, he grabbed her hand and dragged her behind the Killer Bass' cabin. All of the member were currently asleep, so Duncan whispered in fear of waking them.

"Seriously, Court. No more lies. I want the truth."

"No... you don't." She whispered back, and turned to leave, but Duncan grabbed her wrist.

"Courtney." The almost hurt tone of his voice crushed the aforementioned girl, and caused her to turn and face Duncan with tears in her eyes.

"Well, you better start planning to break up with me, because you probably won't wanna be with me after I tell you the truth."

The teal eyed boy dropped her wrist and stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to speak again.

"Duncan I..." She sucked up a breath of air before breathing out, "I'm pregnant."

* * *

**AN: A short, but very dramatic chapter, no? ;) Review~**


	24. I'm Running Out Of Chapter Titles

**_~Her Mask~

* * *

_**

Each silence filled second poked a hole in Courtney's heart, while Duncan shoved his hands in his pocket and gave a little sigh.

"Are you... sure, Honey?" He finally asked, staring her straight in the eyes.

She nodded mutely, afraid if she spoke, she would break down.

To the brunette's surprise, the boy in front of her pulled her into a tight hug, and buried his face in her hair.

"Duncan...?" She whispered, after another moment of silence.

"I'm hoping for a boy. I wanna teach him how to play sports." Duncan suddenly spoke, lips now above her ear. "But if it's a girl, hey, that's good too. I'll still teach her how to play sports. No Daughter of mine is gonna be some girlie girl who can't throw a ball for shit."

Courtney couldn't stop the tears that filled her onyx eyes, and she crushed her face against his chest. "Thank you."

Around the corner of the cabin, a voice cackled quietly, having overheard Courtney's whole confession.

--

"So, we're going to have to act as natural as possible." The pregnant female said in a hushed voice, once the duo had made their way over to the dock to sit on the edge of it.

"You want me to act natural, while my Princess is so fragile?" Duncan asked, frowning in disapproval.

"Duncan, I'm not made of glass."

"Maybe not, but the little one inside you may as well be made out of paper. What if someone hits you in the stomach by accident?" he paused, before adding, "By the way, if that happens, I'm beating the crap out of whoever did it. No exceptions."

Courtney raised an eyebrow. "So if Geoff, or DJ-"

"Without a second thought."

The mocha haired girl sighed. "Acting natural isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"Sweetheart, it isn't even going to be _possible_."

The Bad Boy stole Courtney's hand and gave it a squeeze, before speaking again. "I'm so sorry, Court."

"It's my fault. I should of thought..." She trailed off, giving her boyfriend's hand a squeeze of her own. "It was so irresponsible of me." She shook her head in shame, but Duncan let go of Courtney's hand and took her face instead.

"Don't blame yourself. Please." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her lips. Once, twice, again, then moved his face from hers and dropped his hands.

"Wow, Duncan. I think this is the longest you've gone without saying something stupid or perverted." The former CIT smiled gently, and Duncan smirked and opened his mouth, but Courtney slapped a hand over his lips.

"Don't ruin it just yet. Okay?"

Removing the mocha colored appendage from his lips, Duncan smiled and nodded. "I love you, Princess. Always."

"I love you too, Duncan. Always _and _forever."

--

"Izzy... are you sure you heard right?" Owen asked skeptically, frowning at the bouncing redhead.

"Uh huh! Positive!" She said quickly, ignoring the fact that he hadn't called her Wilma, like she'd been requesting for the past couple days.

"No. I don't buy it. She probably said something totally different, Izzy." Bridgette shook her head.

The Gopher girl had managed to drag everyone out of bed, in both the Killer Bass and Screaming Gopher cabins, into the Bass cabin to talk about what she'd over heard.

"Courtney, Miss Perfect, pregnant? That just doesn't add up. She'd be way more careful about something like that." Gwen threw in.

"Plus, do we even know for sure that she and Duncan had sex in the first place?" Harold asked, trying to locate his glasses, which Trent handed to him a moment later.

"Ugh, why do we even care? It's her life. If she happens to be knocked up at sixteen, let's just leave her the hell alone. Now, can I go back to bed?" Heather snarled, leaning on her crutches in the corner of the cabin.

"NO! No one is leaving till we figure this out!" Izzy declared, blocking the front door.

"Izzy, why don't you just ask her?" Geoff questioned, yawning.

"She won't just come out and admit it, Dude." DJ mumbled, yawning a moment after Geoff had.

"Yawning is so... contagious." Trent said in the middle of his own yawn. "But Deej is right. She won't just come out and tell you. I mean, what if Chris finds out?"

All of the Campers cringed at the thought.

"That would _not_ end well." LeShawna said after a moment.

"So, if it's true, we have to _all_ swear to make sure Chris doesn't find out." Bridgette shot a glare at Heather while speaking.

"Please, what would I gain by telling Chris?" The bald teenager scoffed.

"You tell us." Gwen crossed her arms across her chest.

"I wouldn't gain _anything_. That's the point! Now, I am going to bed. Let me through, crazy girl." Izzy, pouting the whole time, stepped past and let the snappish girl through.

"And, if it's true," LeShawna spoke up after Heather had gone. "We gotta treat those two the same as we would any other day. Alright, y'all?" The girl got a nod from all the Campers in the cramped cabin.

"I bet we could get Duncan to tell us." DJ grinned at Geoff, who nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! Then you report back to me!" Izzy saluted the two boys, who looked at each other once again, and shrugged.

"But, like, isn't that kinda... personal information?" Lindsay, who had been fixing her hair in one of Heather's mirrors, asked.

"So?" Izzy titled her head in confusion.

"So, you shouldn't exploit DJ and Geoff's friendship with Duncan for your own needs." Trent finished, and Lindsay nodded.

The hyperactive Gopher girl put her hands on her hips and laughing maniacally. "Izzy is not exploiting! Izzy is just a seeker of the truth!"

Owen leaned over to whisper to Gwen, "I thought her name was Wilma." and the Goth Girl shrugged.

"But, guys-" The Guitar Player sighed in frustration when the Jock and Party Boy left without hesitation.

"Alright, meeting adjourned! I shall assemble you together again when the verdict is finalized." The red head left the cabin with the end of her statement.

"Can it not be at three in the morning?" LeShawna grumbled, as she left, too.

"I know, right? I need my beauty sleep." Lindsay agreed, fallowing her out.

Once the Gophers had excited the Bass cabin, Harold turned to Bridgette and grinned. "Five bucks says pregnant."

"You're so on."

* * *

**AN: Two chapters in one day? GASP! :D Just my way of saying Happy Easter. And I really wanted to write another one, anyways. Duncan's gonna be even more protective of Courtney than usual. Squee~ Now, remember to review~ Though, I'm sure by now I don't have to tell you that.**


	25. Game On Part 1

**_~Her Mask~_**

**AN: I saw the TDA special today off of youtube! Dunctney is now my new favourite word! :D And seriously, a RACCOON? Couldn't DxC just get a dog like normal people?  
**

**_

* * *

_**

Duncan had -very reluctantly- let Courtney leave, and head to the Bass cabin to get some shut eye. If he had it his way, she'd still be in his arms, where he could keep an eye on her and the little one inside her.

_Me... a Daddy._ The thought messed with his head, but also made him extremely happy. On the other hand though, he felt overwhelmed and guilty. He'd done this to Courtney; ruined her life, almost. She couldn't go back to school pregnant; she'd be tormented, and ridiculed. No one deserved that, especially not his Princess.

"Hey, Duncan," Duncan didn't bother to look behind him to see who was speaking to him.

"Bro, we got some questions for you." DJ took a seat on the left of the Bad Boy, and Geoff sat on the right.

"Uh, it's four in the morning. What are you guys even doing up?" The teal eyed boy raised an eyebrow, and his two friends smiled sheepishly.

"Well we just wanted to talk to you, Dude." Geoff said, before nodding at DJ.

"Okay, I'm gonna come right out and ask. Duncan, is Courtney pregnant?"

The Delinquent tried to keep the horrified emotion he felt inside, off his expression. Duncan liked Geoff and DJ, they'd became his buds. But if he told them the truth, they would judge the former CIT just like kids at her school would. And she didn't need the extra stress.

"No, of course not. Do you butt brains really think I'd be that irresponsi- uh, don't answer that." Duncan paused and tried again. "Do you really think _Courtney _would be that irresponsible?"

The two weighed his reply in their heads, before nodding.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Man. Courtney's a lot smarter than that." The blond said, and DJ nodded in agreement.

The sad thing was, she actually wasn't.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to peak up over the horizon the next morning, but Chris was wide awake. "Chef totally_ ruined_ the drama I was creating by bringing Courtney back here! Ugh!" He slammed his fist down on the little coffee table he had inside the trailer the cook and himself slept in. "But... hm... now that Courtney's here, I might as well have a little fun with it." Snatching a piece of paper and pen off the table, he began scribbling something down. "I just got a great idea for a challenge!"

--

Less than an hour later, the sound of an air horn didn't leave one sleeping Camper in either of the old cabins.

"I am so taking a chainsaw to his head." Duncan grumbled crankily, before jumping down from his bunk.

"Everyone, get your butts out of bed, we've got our next challenge starting in five minutes!" Chris' obnoxious voice echoed through the megaphone he was using.

A few minutes and a bunch of annoyed grunts later, the Killer Bass and Gophers were all assembled in a line outside.

"Can we please just get this over with?" Heather huffed, finally strong enough to stand without the crutches.

"Uh, hang on," Duncan said suddenly, twisting his head anxiously from side to side. "Where's Princess?"

Trent frowned. "Yeah, Gwen isn't here either."

Chris chuckled darkly, and Duncan instantly knew something was wrong. "Chris..."

"Oh, take a chill pill! They're fine! They're just going to have... a _special_ role in our challenge today."

The Bad Boy scowled. "Keep talking."

Today's challenge is going to need a lot of team effort. You see, Gwen and Courtney have been stuck somewhere on Total Drama Island. It's up to Trent and Duncan to go find them!" Duncan and Trent exchanged a look, before a determined expression appeared on both their faces.

"What about us? What do we do?" Heather asked impatiently.

"You and the rest of the Gophers and Bass, must try and distract the opposite team member from finding their girl, by any means necessary!" Chris chirped.

"And if neither of them find their team member?" Owen asked.

"Then the girl's get thrown off the cliff into the shark infested water! Cruel twist, huh?" Chris beamed.

Duncan grabbed Chris by the front of the shirt, bringing his face close to the sadistic host's. "You better be kidding, Chris."

"Nope! I thought it might give you a little more motivation! Plus, it'll totally keep the kiddies at home right on the edge of their seats!"

Duncan wanted to do one of two things. One, scream at the gods to give him a break; or two, go hunt down a chainsaw.

"Oh, yeah. And before I forget to mention, you guys only get fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes to search the whole Island? That's freaking impossible!" Duncan shouted, rage and worry flaring inside him.

"We can do it, Dude." Trent smiled encouragingly at the fuming teenage boy, who had finally let go of the host's shirt.

"So if one guy finds their girl, the other doesn't get thrown into the water, right?" Bridgette asked.

"That's right, Bridgette! So you got a fifty-fifty chance. Now, anymore questions before we start this thing?" Chris asked, taking out a silver whistle.

"Let me get this straight. You want the Gophers to try and stop Duncan from finding Courtney, and us to stop Trent from finding Gwen, with the very possible chance both girls might end up as fish food?" Geoff questioned uneasily.

"Yep! Now, go!" The narcissist blew his whistle, and shouted. "Okay, here's one clue to help you guys. Courtney is somewhere deep and round, while Gwen is buried in the ground! Not in the sand, though, and not near a sink. Where they are hiding, you'll just have to think!"

The whistle was blown once again, and it was game on.

* * *

**AN: Lol, was that riddle incredibly lame or what? :P And tell me if the challenge made sense to you, cause it just barely made sense to ME. How sad is that?**


	26. Game On Part 2

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

"Somewhere deep and round..." Duncan murmured to himself, waiting for some kind of answer to pop up inside his head.

"Dammit, I don't know!" He growled out of frustration. Worry and concern for his girlfriend enabling his ability to think.

But, with a burst of enlightenment, he _knew._ Of course. Chris wouldn't of put her anyplace else, just because he was that cruel.

The Gophers had tried to stop and distract Duncan, even going so far as getting Lindsay to take her shirt off! Admittedly, that one made him stop for a few seconds.

But when he leaned over the edge of the green jelly filled tub that was still left on the grass from the Fear Factor challenge, the Bad Boy's eye's widened. He could vaguely make out a sort of case inside the wooden container, and quickly jumped inside it.

"Courtney!" He was terrified for her, even though he'd poured the same wiggly green stuff on her, way back when. He was certain her fear hadn't gotten any better since then. Acting swiftly, he pushed away some of the excess Jell-o and took his pocket knife out, jamming it into the case, and effectively shattering the glass. He scooped her up gently, and climbed out of the Jell-o filled tub.

No wonder the Host had said they only got fifteen minutes to find their girls. The cases only had enough air for an hour, and he was positive Gwen was in one as well.

"Honey, are you okay?" The Delinquent whispered gently, stroking her hair, but knowing the question was stupid, because she began to shake in his arms.

"I'm so, so, sorry." He just held her close as her shaking turned to sobbing, then her sobbing turned to whimpering.

Okay, that was the _last straw._ Chris had just fucked with the wrong guy one to many times.

* * *

"Hey! I got her!" Duncan shouted, walking into camp while holding the now sleeping Courtney protectively to his chest. She had finally cried herself out, and it had shattered Duncan's heart a million times over. He never wanted to see her cry again like that _ever again,_ and was gonna make sure she never did.

"Ah! Excellent riddle solving skills, Duncan!" Chris happily chirped, that infamous smile plastered onto his face.

"Yeah, yeah." Duncan, noticing DJ standing within arms length, smiled. "Hey, Deej, mind holding Court for a sec?"

Nodding with a warm smile of his own, the loveable Jock took the sleeping girl and gently rocked her as if she was a baby. If Duncan trusted anyone with Courtney, it would be DJ. And he was going to be a great Father one day, no doubt.

Trent, Gwen, -looking a bit dazed, but in one piece- the rest of the Screaming Gophers, and Killer Bass members all made it back to Camp just as the Bad Boy walked up to Chris.

And just like that, the boy's foot shot straight up to hit the Host in the crotch, causing the narcissist to yelp in obvious pain.

Not one Camper's mouth was close by the time Chris staggered backward to the ground. It was quiet for a moment, before Chef burst out laughing from the open Mess Hall door. "I've wanted to do that for weeks! Boy, there might be some hope for you, yet!" and after that, the rest of the kids erupted into hoots and applause.

"You're lucky I don't know where you guys keep the chainsaw." Duncan smirked, and was patted on the back by his friends.

Geoff was his usual bouncy self. "That was _awesome,_ Dude!"

"Believe me, he deserves a lot more than that." The Thief glared at Chris who was still on the ground, whining about the pain.

"So, where was Courtney hidden, anyway?" DJ asked softly, so he wouldn't wake her, which Duncan appreciated. But if the girl could sleep through everyone's cheering moments ago, DJ's normal volume of voice wasn't going to stir her.

"In the Jelly tub, thing, hense me kicking Chris. The bastard can't do that to my girl and get away with it."

Bridgette cringed, now standing close to Geoff. "That's terrible. Poor Courtney."

Duncan nodded, and laid his arms out toward the Jamaican-Canadian, who teasingly held the former CIT away from her boyfriend. "Gee, Duncan, I don't know if I wanna give her back..."

The teal eyed boy snorted, then changed his tone to a playful warning. "Dude... don't keep me away from my Princess."

Chuckling, the Jock handed the Type-A girl back to Duncan, who cuddled Courtney like a teddy bear.

"Psh, so much for Mister Tough Guy." Heather scoffed.

Duncan shot a glare at Heather and hissed, "You're forgetting I'm still very capable of kicking your ass if need be."

Chris, groaning, and finally sitting upright again, glared at Duncan. "Thanks for that Duncan. And would you stop with the swearing?! It costs money to bleep stuff out, you know!"

Just as Chris' pain had subsided enough for him to stand up, an unfamiliar boat pulled up to the Dock of Shame.

"Who's that, Chris?" Trent asked the question on everyone's mind.

"I have no idea." The Host replied, pursing his lips in confusion.

"Duncan, put me down, please." Courtney's voice startled Duncan, who had been unaware of her awakening, but followed her request.

"How are you feeling, Princess?" He asked, a large amount of corner and worry in his tone, but the brunette offered him a weak smile.

"We'll talk about that later, first..." She trailed off, pointing to two people who were now standing on the dock, one looking quite furious.

Courtney quickly scurried down to the dock and looked up at the people with a guilty expression.

"Mother, Father..."

* * *

**AN: ****I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. ****The next one will be longer, promise. **** And ****Trouble is a foot, my dear readers. Trouble is a foot. Duncan+Courtney's angry Father= BAD. Until then, stay tuned, and review~  
**


	27. Olivia

**_~Her Mask~_**

* * *

"Courtney, you are coming home right this_ instant!_ And we are going to have a long talk about this!" Her Father bellowed, snatching her arm in a way that looked a little to rough to Duncan, setting off the protective side of him.

"Don't grab her like that!" Duncan growled, leaping onto the dock and giving her Father a threatening look, but he just scoffed.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what to do! Do you know who you're talking to, _Delinquent?_ I am Frank Callahan, best lawyer in all of Winnipeg."

It was Duncan's turn to scoff, and reply in a bad ass tone, that would -without a doubt- come back to bite him in the ass eventually. "Top lawyer, hm? And yet you can't stop being an total ass hole long enough to listen to what your own Daughter wants!"

"She doesn't know what she wants. She's a child!" Courtney gasped, anger appearing on her mocha colored face.

Wrenching her arm out of her Dad's grip, she stood beside Duncan who wrapped an arm around her waist possessively. "I'm just a _child?_ Really? Oh, don't you even _go_ there! If I was a _normal_ child, I would be out partying and living my life, not stressing to be the perfect Daughter you wish you still had!"

Her Mother frowned. "Courtney, Honey, he didn't mean what he sai-"

"No, Mom. He meant exactly what he said. I'm not Olivia! I get it!"

Her Father and Mother gasped, and her Dad glared at his Daughter.

"Who's Olivia?" Duncan asked.

With a sighed, Courtney rubbed at her onyx eyes before speaking. "She was my older sister. She died four years ago. She was the greatest, most amazing Daughter you could ever want. Straight As, perfect attendance, always home on time, never drunk or smoked, never talked back, had a perfect boyfriend and a perfect life. But when I was twelve, she died. You wanna know how she died?" Her Parents both looked like they were gonna cry at this point. "Suicide. She _hated_ her perfect life. She hated that she never got to live it the way she wanted! And that she had to live under my Parent's rules and restrictions all her life. She died, twenty two years old." The former CIT sniffed, tears once again forming in her eyes. Duncan pulled her close, to stroke her hair, and shush her gently.

Her Parents were silent, and Courtney pulled away from her boyfriend to speak again. "I've tried to fill the void you guys have, to live her life for her, take over where she left off, you know? But I just... I can't do that anymore! I mean, sure, I can keep my grades up, and be home on time, but you can't control who I decide to date." She shot her Bad Boy a smile, and he returned it.

"Dudes, you can't take Courtney away after _that!_ Come on!" Chris shouted, flailing his arms above his head in exasperation, and the rest of the Campers nodded, some looking a bit choked up after the sad story.

"Frank, I think we should let her stay..." Her Mom said after a minute, casting a smile at Duncan and Courtney.

"Absolutely not!" He hissed, reaching his large hand toward the former CIT with narrowed eyes. "Now come with me, right this minute."

"Okay," Duncan finally said, dropping his arm from his girl's waist, and stepped toward her Dad. "One, Princess is staying here. Two, you need to get off your fucking high horse. And three," The teal eyed boy took a deep breath, trying to ignore the large audience of Campers watching him. "I'm in love with your Daughter. So, hey, if you don't want to accept me, then that's fine. I don't expect you to. But I'm gonna be around for a _long_ while, so you better get used to seeing me around."

"Oh, please-"

Suddenly, both testosterone filled males were surprised by a burst of girlish laughter to come from Courtney's Mom. "Oh, Frank, this boy reminds me so much of you when you were his age! The same rebellious spirit, the same good looks, the same kind, mushy heart underneath his tough shell." Duncan almost felt like blushing. Was it so obvious he wasn't as tough as he looked?

The intimidating man was quiet for an instant, then chuckled."You, kid, need to learn some respect. But I admire your guts." Frank smiled, and Duncan grinned back.

"So, can she stay, or what?" Geoff finally asked.

With a reluctant sigh, her Dad nodded. "But, when you do some home, Sweetie, we're gonna have to talk about it."

Courtney nodded, smiling. "I'm aware of that."

Duncan unable to contain his glee, picks up the mocha haired girl and spins her around in her a circle and she laughs. "Duncan! Put me down!"

"Well, it looks like you're in good hands." Her Mom says after a moment, smiling. "Take care of her, Duncan. Okay?"

He nods, smirking. "Sure thing, Mrs. C."

Courtney hugged both her Parents, before they climbed aboard their ship and speed off again.

"Well, we sure dodged a bullet there, eh Babe?" Duncan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, but noticed her sour expression. "What's wrong?"

"Um, just a sec." Courtney made a dash of the communal washrooms, and the Delinquent made his way over back to his friends.

"That was wicked, bro! The way you stood up to her Dad like that, when he could of beat the crap out of you!" DJ said while fist pumping Duncan.

"Gotta admit though, her Mom was pretty fine." Bridgette smacked Geoff in the back of the head, and he chuckled sheepishly. "But you know she doesn't even come close to my Bridge."

"Nice save." She replied flatly.

Courtney came out of the bathroom a second later, and discreetly waved the Bad Boy over, making sure no one noticed.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he walked inside the bathroom with Courtney, who locked the door behind her."Whats up, Princess?"

"I-I..." Her voice was just a broken whisper, and Duncan instantly wrapped his arms around her, giving her the strength to keep speaking. "There was some blood in my underwear. A-And t-that's supposed to be... t-the first sign of a... miscarriage."

He could feel his eyes widen.

_No._

_No way.

* * *

_

**AN: Okay, so the chapter wasn't exactly longer. But the amount of drama in it makes up for that, right?**_  
_


	28. Trusting Insanity

**AN: Sooo.. is everyone still after me with pitchforks and knives?**

* * *

Courtney had to shake his shoulder and repeatedly say his name before the words fully sunk in. Gathering his wits, he looked at her slowly. "Miscarriage."

She nodded once, shutting her eyes in despair. "I'm so sorry."

Shaking his head, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to his chest. He held her tight, stroking her hair and letting her softly weep into the crook of his neck. They were only kids; all this drama had been thrown onto them and exploded into a mess neither of them had signed up for. Swallowing down the sick feeling rising up like bile, he whispered, "Maybe this is a blessing in disguise."

Ripping away from him like his touched had burned, she stared at him with a cold, unnerving expression. "A blessing?_ Our," _She made a hand movement; gesturing between them feverishly. _"_Baby could be dying and you think it's a _blessing?"_

He hated the anger that was burning behind the unforgiving look she shot at him. He hated what he was about to say. "Why don't you take a step back into _reality, _Courtney? We can kid ourselves all we want, but we aren't _ready _for a child!" It was true. Cruel, but true. At least, he wasn't, even if he could convince himself he was. All Duncan wanted, was for her to understand; if she did, it might hurt, just a little less.

Shaking her head in utter disbelief, she bolted from the dingy bathroom, clutching her stomach as if it would somehow keep the child from dying.

"Courtney!" He called after her, but she kept on running.

* * *

No one asked questions, or bothered her when they saw her pass. They kept to themselves, trying to process how their little camping adventure had turned into such a twisted soap opera.

Courtney ignored all their curious stares, slinking in through the trees to find some privacy. She was careful not not trip over roots or branches, rubbing her stomach in a comforting manner. She wanted to tell the little baby everything would be okay, but she couldn't lie, even if it _couldn't _hear her. Leaning up against one of the drier trees, a sigh slipped through her lips. She felt so frazzled, as if she had just been shoved overboard and was running out of oxygen. What was she going to do? If Duncan wasn't willing to help her now, how on earth would she receive proper medical treatment? Chef certainly wasn't qualified for _that_.

Still, while too frightened to leave the island, she knew she couldn't sit around and do nothing.

Quiet and swift, Courtney ran out from her forest cover and up the steps into the mess hall, nearly slipping on one of the damper ones.

She could hear Chef and Chris arguing about budget cuts and salaries, and not having enough money to throw that Hawaiian party they had been planning. She rolled her eyes, despite her worry.

"Chris," She piped up once she realized they weren't going to stop on account of her presence. "I need your help."

"And my money." He deadpanned, as if she'd be talking about ripping out pieces of his soul. If he even had one. "The answer is no."

"But-"

"Noooo." He stretched out the word, shaking his head. "I don't care what it is, we barely have enough money to last for the rest of this summer!"

Courtney was about to reply, when a hand coming down onto her shoulder made her jump. She turned, expecting to see Duncan, apologetic and ready to calm the hysteria that was whirling inside her, but instead saw Bridgette with a light smile. "Wanna talk?"

* * *

Duncan laid in the sand, it felt cold and wet against the back of his shirt, but he didn't move. Everything about him felt cold; like somehow he had come to realize that his dream had turned into a sick nightmare. Kids sounded so great in theory, but he couldn't support a child. Not in the state he was in. Never the less, he couldn't shake the little voice in his head that was repeating over and over how he had let her and their possible child down.

"Yo, Dunc," He looked up slightly, seeing Geoff's beaming, which made him crack just a tiny smile in return.

"Sup?"

"We've gotta talk, dude."

* * *

"So you _are _pregnant..." Bridgette murmured in awe, mentally adding that she now owed Harold five dollars.

"Not for long." Courtney muttered bitterly, wrapping her arms tighter around her stomach.

"You don't know that for sure." The blonde gazed out the window in confusion as she could of sworn she saw a flicker of bright orange hair in the window, but shook it off. "You need a doctor to take a look at you."

"I _know _that, Bridgette, but it's not like Chris is going to get me my own private doctor. I couldn't even think of a proper cover story as to why I would need one."

"I could shoot you in the foot!" They heard a familiar shout, followed by a gleeful cackle, and the appearance of a certain red head. "I've gots me precious right here!" She held up a silver gun, making both girl's eyes widen, but they relaxed as they realized it was only a BB gun.

"That won't help me, Izzy." Courtney said flatly, before studying the girl. "Then again, maybe you can. You're crazy; you know how to do a lot of stuff. You could fly a helicopter, couldn't you?"

Bridgette gasped. She wasn't sure who she thought was crazier; Izzy, or Courtney, for possibly trusting Izzy.

"Woo! Yeah! Flying time, weee!" Izzy spread her arms out and ran around the room as if she were an airplane. Clearly her fear of flying had been overcome.

The brunette and blonde looked at one another. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea.

* * *

**AN: Here you go! Finally, a chapter update. I apologize if it was thrown together; I just really wanted to get this out to my wonderful fans. -I feel arrogant saying I have fans. Do I really? Can I have a fan club?-**


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